Some of the world’s leading brands of bottled water have been found to be contaminated with tiny plastic particles, likely to have seeped into the water during the packaging process. 250 bottles of water were tested in Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Lebanon, Mexico, Thailand and the United States and plastic was identified in 93 percent of samples, including major brands such as Aqua, Aquafina, Dasani, Evian, Nestle Pure Life and San Pellegrino.
The plastic debris found in the samples included nylon, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polypropylene, which is used to make bottle caps. It is thought that the fragments of plastic found in the water come through the process of bottling the water, with most of the plastic fragments coming from the bottle itself. The bottle cap as well as the industrial process of bottling the water are the biggest contributors.
The risks posed by such contamination to the human health is not entirely clear but some experts have linked it to increases in certain kinds of cancer, lower sperm count and even increases in conditions such as ADHD and autism. Synthetic chemicals in the environment can have various adverse effects when they enter our bodies
In its statement, Dasani wrote that “It’s clear the world has a problem with plastic waste.” Plastic particles are not just found in bottled water – they are found in seas, affecting marine life and affecting the way fish eat. Even our tap water contains microplastic particles, although the amount is much smaller than plastic bottle concentrations. By and large, tap water is said to be much safer than bottled water.
It is crucial, now more than ever, to reduce plastic bottle waste and make plastic bottles a thing of the past. Here are some things you can start doing to solve the plastic water bottle problem:
- Discontinue purchase of plastic bottles
- Carry an eco-friendly reusable water bottle
- If you purchase a plastic bottled beverage, recycle it after use
Do your part to eliminate plastic waste!
