1. Dangers of Drinking Bottled
Water
Have you ever given a thought to the fact that the
bottled water that we drink to quench our thirst on a
hot day can lead to severe health issues? The
following article throws light on the possible dangers
of drinking bottled water. Take a look...
Use of plastic in various forms has become an
inevitable part of our lives. Every other commodity
has some plastic content in it and so does the
bottles used for water packaging. In spite of being
aware about the harm that plastic is causing to
human life and the environment, why are we still
using it on such a large scale? Probably because it is
the most easy-to-use component in manufacturing
and convenient for users as well. For instance, when
we buy a mineral water bottle we don't have to
worry about carrying it along all the time. Once the
bottle is empty, it can be thrown away. Another

2. thing is, bottled water has become so common and
habitual that it is available anywhere and
everywhere. No one has to remember to carry water
from home. A few bucks can get you a chilled bottle
of water right away. We have got so used to this
bottled water that billions of used plastic bottles are
being collected in the landfills for recycling every
year.
Health Concerns
All of us are well aware about the fact that anything
made out of plastic is harmful to our health and
should be avoided. How come then we tend to
overlook the dangers of bottled drinking water?
Actually, the truth underlying it is we have been
enticed by the bottle producing companies to believe
that it is safer than the drinking water in our houses.
They tell us that the water filled in these bottles is
not regular tap water, but is from protected
resources and it is further purified to remove all the
contaminants, if any. By this they assure us that
they are providing 100% pure and safe drinking
water. However, the case is different in reality.

3. Brace your ears to hear that the water filled in these
bottles, most times, is normal tap water provided by
municipal drinking water sources and not from any
protected sources termed as spring, purified or
mineral water.
These were concerns about the water filled in
bottles, but what about the bottle itself? How
harmful are the components used while
manufacturing these plastic water containers? Well,
the major concern lies here. A number of chemicals
are being used for producing these plastic containers
which can leach into the water when the bottle is
stored for a long duration and at high temperatures.
Although the validity of such bottles is normally up
to two years, experts have called for further
research in order to understand and confirm the
safety of bottled water. According to them a toxin
called
antimony
, used in manufacturing PET (Polyethylene
Terephthalate; it is a type of plastic known to be the
safest for producing mineral water containers)

4. bottles has great potential to leach into the water
stored in them. While
small amounts
of antimony can cause
dizziness
and make you feel slightly ill,
higher quantity
may lead to
severe vomiting
and even prove
fatal
. The amount of antimony in water, according to
several studies, is up to the recommended level
after bottling, however, it is almost doubled when
the bottles are stored for more than 3 months.
Other chemicals like
phthalates
and
bisphenol A
may leach into water and cause
fatigue and dullness
. They can also disrupt the
endocrine system
causing

5. hormonal imbalance.
The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) is the
authority under which U.S. bottled water falls. Here
it has to pass through certain tests of purity and
safety before going to the distributors. However,
around 70% bottled water does not cross the state
boundaries for sale which exempts it from the FDA
examination. Tap water on the other hand, falls
under the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency)
which is more stringent in its rules and regulations.
This proves that the tap water we doubt for its
safety is a much more trusted and healthy source of
drinking water. If you have a problem with the taste
of the local tap water you can use carbonated filters,
which removes almost all contaminants and gives a
better taste to the water.
Other Dangers of Plastic Water Bottles
Environmental Degradation
It is a common misconception that all the bottles
used for water packaging are recycled and hence

6. they are a good storage option. But let me tell you
that a majority of used bottles are thrown on streets
and road sides, which do not reach the recycling
centers. Around 70-80% of used bottles are
disposed of and not recycled, which is more than
enough to cause environmental pollution.
Apart from this, the energy required for production
as well as recycling of plastic bottles has a major
contribution to environmental degradation. Around
44-47 million gallons of oil per year is required for
producing plastic bottles, which when not recycled,
are burned to create space in landfills using a huge
amount of fossil fuel. In return, huge amount of
gases are released in the atmosphere contributing to
air pollution and ultimately to global warming.
Furthermore, to make up for the difference of non-
recycled bottles, manufacturing companies require
around 8-10% fossil fuels of the entire world for
bottle production. This extra usage of fossil fuels can
be prevented with proper recycling procedure and
can be available for production of other goods and
commodities.

7. Declination of Marine Life
The reason behind adverse effects of plastic water-
bottles on marine life is the careless attitude of
people tossing around 1-2 millions of plastic bottles
per hour, into trash cans instead of putting them
into recycle bins. Moreover some cities, due to lack
of enough space in landfills, dump the trash into
seas and oceans wherein fish and other marine
organisms mistake the bottles for food, which
amounts to life-threatening consequences.
Alternate Solutions
As an alternative to unhealthy bottled water, one
can install drinking water systems. Many times we
find
water coolers
at several public places which is a hygienic water
system. You can also have
water filters
attached to the tap in your house, which will purify
the water then and there before getting filled in your
drinking water containers. The best option amongst
all, though, is a

8. water bottle
, obviously not a plastic one, with a built-in filtration
system. Just refill the bottle every time and let the
filter do the further job of providing you with clean
and safe drinking water. This will not only cut down
the expense of buying a water-bottle when you are
away from home but also take care of your health.
As an effective remedy over the use of plastic water
containers, we can concentrate on the home
filtration systems suggested above to improve the
quality of tap water. Once the water is purified
through filtration, it can be stored in permanent
water containers instead of disposable plastic
bottles. This will help to minimize the negative
impact of plastic on the environment. Hence, say NO
to bottled water and save yourself as well as our
environment.