Bottled water has become a global scourge, wreaking environmental havoc

Pop quiz… what is a product that people around the world buy millions of, every minute of every day? If your answer was bottled water, pat yourself on the back — and then worry.

This seemingly innocuous, everyday act is causing a tidal wave of concern among population health experts globally.

Why? Because the implications of bottled water consumption are far-reaching, affecting not just our health but also our Mother Earth herself.

Bottled water as a personal preference

Safe tap water is not a luxury for the majority of us.

Yet, we forsake it for bottled water. Even more startling is the plight of two billion people worldwide without safe drinking water who are reliant on bottled water for hydration.

The reasons behind this are convenience and a misplaced belief, mostly fueled by aggressive industry propaganda, that bottled water is superior to tap water.

But how true is this belief?

Safety of bottled water

Bottled water is in no way safer than tap water, assert medical sleuths from Weill Cornell Medicine in Qatar. The logic is simple yet overlooked.

Bottled water does not undergo the rigorous quality checks that tap water does. It also comes with a side effect — the possibility of chemical leakage from the plastic bottles it’s stored in, especially if stored for long periods or exposed to sunlight and high temperatures.

What’s really in your bottled water?

Bottled water might be clearer in appearance than its counterparts, but it houses a murky secret – a startling 10-78% of samples were found to contain pollutants.

The villains? Microplastics, dubbed as endocrine disruptors, and other malevolent substances like phthalates and bisphenol A (BPA).

Microplastics can disrupt body functions and cause oxidative stress, immune dysregulation, and blood fat level changes.

BPA exposure has been linked to high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity, all of which typically surface later in life.

Our estimates about the long-term impacts of these contaminants are still a work in progress, warns the study author. Add to this mix the possibility of microplastics infiltrating the food chain, and we’re in for worrying times.

The better option: Tap water

Choosing tap water doesn’t just benefit your health. It’s an act of environmental responsibility.

Plastic bottles are the second most common pollutant in the ocean, accounting for 12% of total plastic waste.

Of these, only a dismal 9% are recycled globally.

The rest find their way into landfills, incinerators, and low-and-middle-income countries’ waste management systems, putting a spotlight over issues of social justice and sustainability.

How single-use plastic harms Earth

Single-use plastics are items made from plastic that are designed to be used once and then thrown away. These include things like plastic bags, straws, bottles, cutlery, and packaging materials.

We often use them for convenience in our daily lives, such as drinking water in plastic bottles, without considering their long-term impact.

When we discard single-use plastics, they often end up polluting our environment. They litter our streets, clog landfills, and pollute oceans where they harm marine life. Animals can mistake plastic for food or become entangled in it, leading to injury or death.

As these plastics break down, they become microplastics that contaminate soil and water, eventually entering the food chain and affecting our health.

By relying on disposable plastics, we contribute to environmental degradation and risk the well-being of our planet.

Avoiding bottled water

Despite steps being taken to promote tap water use in public spaces and restaurants and to contain the scourge of single-use plastics, our experts call for more action.

Emphasis is on government interventions and educational campaigns to bring about a perceptual change in public behavior.

The message to drive home? Tap water is not just safe but is also an act of environmental stewardship.

Collectively, the accumulated evidence underscores the critical role of government interventions and educational campaigns in shifting public perception and behavior.

“These campaigns should highlight the environmental stewardship and health benefits of choosing tap water, effectively driving a cultural change towards more sustainable consumption practices,”  the authors suggest.

Technological innovations

Bottled water’s reign may be overthrown by technology. Innovations like water filtration systems and portable purifiers give individuals the power to sip safe water, minus the reliance on plastic bottles.

Research into the creation of eco-friendly alternatives to plastic presents a promising future.

Furthermore, investment in and development of smart water systems could rebuild public trust in tap water’s safety and quality.

Time to take stock and do something

The mounting health, financial, and environmental toll associated with bottled water is alarming. The need to reassess this issue is dire, especially in low-and-middle-income countries where investing in safe drinking water infrastructure could be pivotal.

“The reliance on [bottled water] incurs significant health, financial and environmental costs, calling for an urgent re-evaluation of its widespread use,” they implored.

Governments must urgently confront these issues, including those in low and middle income countries where there is a pressing need for them to invest in safe drinking water infrastructure.

“By prioritizing tap water consumption, we can collectively address the multifaceted challenges posed by [bottled water] and embrace tap water as a cornerstone of environmental responsibility and public health,” the authors concluded.

In choosing tap water over bottled water, we take a step towards environmental responsibility and safeguard public health.

Our collective efforts can tackle the problems that bottled water poses head-on, reaffirming tap water as a symbol of progressive, sustainable living.

The study is published in the journal BMJ Global Health.

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