It looks so innocent, clear, and refreshing sitting there in the cooler. But recent tests have shown that bottled water may be harmful to our health-especially for at-risk populations like infants, children, the elderly, and those fighting disease.
“Concerned about tap water quality,” says the Environmental Working Group (EWG), “many consumers turn to bottled water, hoping to find a guarantee of safety. But the reality is very different…; all bottled waters tested by EWG contained some chemical contaminants…” Those chemicals can include by-products of disinfection like chloroform and haloacetic acids-part of a group of chemicals called “trihalomethanes” that have been linked with bladder cancer. The National Toxicology Panel has stated that chloroform is “reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen.”
Other polluters include fertilizers like nitrate, particularly dangerous for young children and pregnant women; drugs like acetaminophen and caffeine (coming from polluted waters); and bacteria; even arsenic (in one brand) and radioactive pollutants (though below the FDA regulated limit). Finally, synthetic chemicals used in the making of plastic like isobutene and toluene were found in 9 brands. You’ve heard that plastic isn’t the best container when it comes to health. In fact, plastic packaging involves a myriad of chemicals for production including PET polymer, additives involved in synthesis, chemicals to create stability, sunscreen chemicals to protect from discoloration, and odor-scavenger substances. Some of these have been shown to leak from the packaging to the water itself.
In the end, the EWG concluded that the quality of bottled water varies greatly from brand to brand, and called for stronger FDA regulations. Though often no more dangerous than tap water, the EWG warned, “Bottled water is not the answer to the search for drinking water free of chemical pollutants.” In fact, the FDA apparently has bottled-water plants on a “low-priority” list for inspection, even though this beverage is 2nd in popularity in North America only to soda pop. Companies are not required to publicize their water-testing results (unlike municipal water companies), so who knows what you’re really getting?
And we haven’t even started talking about the environmental stress that comes from bottled water. “People need to think about all the unnecessary energy costs that go into making a bottle of water,” said Peter Gleick, director of a think tank in Oakland, CA. The Earth Policy Institute estimated that we burn up around 1.5 million barrels of oil making bottles, enough to power 100,000 cars for a year. On top of that, nearly 90 percent are not recycled.
Because of contamination and environmental concerns, the Australian town of Bundanoon recently voted overwhelmingly to ban the sales of bottled water in their town. Other cities in the UK and America have done the same at city events and facilities. “The bottled water industry is selling a vision of purity,” said Gina Solomon, senior scientist with the National Resources Defense Council. “What they don’t realize is that bottled water is actually much less regulated than tap…”
What can you do? The EWG recommends you drink filtered tap water, forget the plastic bottles (use your own stainless steel one instead), and urge policymakers to improve water-protection programs.
Have you banned bottled water in your life? How do you get clean, great-tasting water where you live?
Photo courtesy of mengels7 via Flickr.com.
