Those single use bottles you find in stores, gas stations, and gyms are what I refer to as dangerous rip-offs. Why is that? Well, drinking water from plastic bottles can actually be harmful to your health. Studies show that chemicals like BPA and phthalates can seep into the liquids stored in these bottles. This risk increases when the bottles are heated or used for extended periods. (study)
Why is bottled water bad for you? Because over time, the chemicals in plastic bottles leach into the water. Once in your bloodstream, these dangerous toxins have been linked to numerous health conditions such as liver and kidney damage and breast and uterine cancer.
Studies indicate that being exposed to chemicals found in plastics may be connected to three negative impacts on our health.
- Hormonal issues and fertility problems
- Higher chances of developing cancer
- Negative effects on the immune system
Even though BPA-free bottles are less harmful, they aren’t completely safe either. Many materials used to make these bottles can still pose risks to our health. Most plastic water bottles are made from a type of plastic called PET, or polyethylene terephthalate. When the weather gets hot, PET can start leaking harmful substances into the water.
A study that looked at 18 different bottled water brands discovered almost 25,000 chemicals in the water. This included endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) like BPA, which can negatively impact our health. Additionally, the FDA has begun to regulate bottled water for E. coli, but research has shown that bottled water can also contain mold, benzene, microbes, and even arsenic in some cases.
Dangerous Chemicals in Bottled Water
Microplastics are tiny bits of plastic that get released when your water bottle slowly breaks down, and they can end up in your body when you drink. Even though they’re really small, research shows that microplastics can harm human cells and can even be transferred from mothers to their unborn babies. It’s concerning that using plastic water bottles regularly exposes you to enough microplastics that could be harmful. One study discovered that bottled water has around 50% more microplastics compared to tap water. These microplastics can originate from the bottles themselves or from the plastic filters used during the manufacturing process.
A research article in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences revealed that a single liter of bottled water has about 240,000 tiny plastic pieces known as nanoplastics. These nanoplastics are smaller than one micrometer and could potentially pose health dangers.
The plastic used in water bottles can release harmful chemicals into the water, particularly when they are heated or kept for a long time. These harmful substances include antimony, bisphenols, and phthalates. Research by the Environmental Working Group revealed that well-known bottled water brands had a mix of 38 different contaminants, such as bacteria, fertilizer, Tylenol, and industrial chemicals, with some being just as bad as regular tap water. Additionally, some bottles have high amounts of chlorination byproducts that can lead to cancer.
Single-use plastic bottles have PFAS, which are a group of chemicals that pose serious risks to both human health and the environment. There are around 15,000 different PFAS chemicals, often referred to as “forever chemicals” because they don’t decompose naturally. These substances are associated with various health problems, such as cancer, low birth weight, and thyroid disorders.
Lack of Transparency in Industry
One of the main challenges in figuring out the exact chemicals in a water bottle is the lack of transparency. Surprisingly, there are no laws that force companies selling bottled water to check for plastic chemicals or to inform customers about the source of their water. To lower your chances of being exposed to plastics, try to steer clear of foods and drinks in plastic packaging and choose products made from natural materials instead.
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