The negative impact of plastic water bottles on the environment has become more widely recognized in recent years. Unfortunately, while most people are aware that disposable water bottles are bad for the environment, this awareness has not translated into a significant reduction in their use. In fact, Americans use 50 billion plastic water bottles per year on average, and despite the fact that recycling is easier than ever, 90 percent of plastic water bottles are not recycled after use, resulting in billions of plastic bottles entering landfills and even our oceans each year.
So much plastic waste finds its way into our oceans that it is estimated that over a million marine animals die each year as a result of accidental plastic ingestion. While the environmental consequences of disposable water bottles should be enough to convince us to invest in reusable water bottles and a home water filter, there are other advantages to ditching plastic water bottles. If you want to have some environmentally-friendly bottled water, just reach out to Crystal Beverage – My Own Water for more information.
While the environmental impact of plastic bottles receives the majority of the attention, there are several other reasons to switch to steel water bottles. Here are a few more reasons to go steel, including some lesser-known risks associated with drinking bottled water.
Below is a list of the serious impacts of using plastic bottled water:
1. Drinking Water From a Plastic Bottle Can Affect Growth and Fertility
While more companies are opting to sell BPA-free plastic water bottles, it is still a common component in Type 7 plastic water bottles. One of the many issues with BPA is that it acts as a synthetic estrogen, causing chromosomal abnormalities that have been linked to birth defects and developmental disabilities in children when consumed in water through leaching plastic.
When children are exposed to BPA while in the womb, it can cause complications later in life, such as hyperactivity disorders, early puberty, and an increased risk of certain cancers. When women are pregnant, it is frequently advised that they avoid drinking bottled water (especially water from Type 7 plastic bottles)..
2. It is Also Linked to Higher Disease Rates in Adults
Adults who have been exposed to the toxins in plastic water bottles have been linked to higher rates of disease. People who drink a lot of bottled water, and especially those who have high BPA levels in their urine, have been found to be three times more likely to develop cardiovascular disease and 2.4 times more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes than people who have low BPA levels in their bodies.
Even BHPF, a compound that is now used in place of BPA in many plastic bottles, has been found to have dangerous side effects similar to BPA. As a result, even as the plastic industry tries to come up with new ways to make plastic bottles “safer,” it’s becoming clearer that the safest option is to avoid drinking plastic-bottled water whenever possible.
3. Ingestion of Microplastics
The fact that drinking bottled water can expose people to microplastics is perhaps the most concerning aspect of bottled water that has come to light in recent years. Microplastics are small pieces of plastic that are usually less than 7mm long and can be found in a variety of products, including, perhaps most controversially, hand cleaners and facial cleansers.
Not only does bottled water absorb some of the chemical compounds found in plastic bottles, but new research suggests that the plastic itself may be present in the water consumed. Plastic fibers were found in 92 percent of popular bottled water brands tested, according to studies. While research into the prevalence of microplastics in bottled water and the potential danger this poses is still in its early stages, one can only imagine the long-term consequences of consuming plastic, highlighting yet another reason to limit bottled water consumption.
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4. Helps to Increase our Weight
Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in the whole world, which is no secret. If you’ve been trying to lose weight and haven’t been successful, you might be surprised to learn that your bottled water consumption is to blame. Both BPA and BHPF have been found to cause hormone disruption in humans. The effect that both of these compounds have on estrogen levels in both men and women has been linked to weight management problems. Exposure to the compounds found in plastic water bottles can affect the rate and location of fat storage in your body, leading to weight gain and difficulty losing weight.
