Joint Op-Ed in *La Croix* — “Debates” section · March 22, 2021 · Op-ed signed by 23 prominent figures in the water and environmental sectors
Published in *La Croix* on World Water Day, this joint op-ed brings together 23 signatories—elected officials, scientists, NGOs, and companies—to call for greater appreciation of tap water, both for its quality and for its role in the fight against plastic pollution. Thibault Lamarque, founder of Castalie, is listed alongside organizations such as Eau de Paris, BRITA, Biocoop, and No Plastic In My Sea. It is a call to action to make France a pioneer in providing access to high-quality water.
Key takeaways
- Twenty-three prominent figures, including Thibault Lamarque (Castalie), co-signed an op-ed in *La Croix* calling for the promotion of tap water as a sustainable alternative to water in plastic bottles.
- Plastic bottles alone account for 41% of plastic food packaging in France—340,000 metric tons per year—and are the most common type of single-use plastic waste found on beaches, according to the European Commission.
- France is the fifth-largest consumer of bottled water in the world, with 9 billion liters per year—a niche market that companies like Castalie by microfiltering tap water for commercial use.
- Tap water is touted as one of the most strictly regulated and transparent food products; on average, it is 200 times cheaper than bottled water, and anyone can check its quality on the Ministry of Health’s website.
- The signatories are calling on local governments, public facilities, and businesses to increase the number of water access points—where people can fill water bottles, glasses, or mugs away from home—in cities, schools, train stations, airports, and shopping centers, a practice that Castalie through its water fountains for local governments and public spaces.
- The op-ed calls for action in anticipation of the European directive on drinking water—which stemmed from the Right2Water citizens’ initiative supported by 1.8 million Europeans—and points out that 4% of the French population still lacks access to water of sufficient quality.
- The signatories emphasize that the entrepreneurial momentum surrounding alternatives to plastic bottles—such as solutions for filtering and carbonating tap water—is a source of jobs and economic competitiveness.
Source: La Croix, “Debates” section, March 22, 2021 — joint op-ed. Read the original op-ed
