The use of plastic bottles has increased as the sale of bottled water has grown around the world. To reduce plastic pollution, it is necessary to reuse plastic bottles. Chemicals in the plastic, on the other hand, may end up in bottled water. Bacteria can be found in your custom labeled bottled water as well! These are just a couple of the issues that plastic bottles can cause! They are also harmful to the environment. Continue reading this article to learn more about the problems with plastic water bottles and how to help avoid them.
It’s a hot summer day, and you’ve just finished playing outside, sweaty and exhausted. Nothing in the world makes you happier than a lovely, gleaming bottle of water. You feel totally relieved and happy as the cool water runs down your throat! Water, on the other hand, does a lot more than just quench your thirst. Water is in charge of regulating your body temperature and keeping your body functioning properly, in addition to keeping you hydrated. 70% of our bodies are made up of water! Have you ever considered that the water you drink could be contaminated with contaminants that are harmful to your health? Something intangible and tasteless that you may not even be aware of?
Biological Contamination
Biological contamination is one factor that could make bottled water unsafe to drink. Microorganisms that could harm us or the environment are present. Biological contamination refers to the presence of microscopic organisms such as bacteria that can cause harm to humans or the environment. Contaminated water sources or inadequate water treatment can cause biological contamination. Each country has its own set of water quality regulations, which vary greatly. Despite water quality regulations, tests have revealed that bacteria levels in bottled water from several countries are higher than allowed! Bottled water is rejected and cannot be sold if it fails quality testing.
Chemical Contamination
WWhen water contains chemicals that can harm us or the environment, we call it “chemical contamination.” Drinking water contains a variety of chemical contaminants. In this article, we will look at a subset of contaminants known as endocrine disruptors. To comprehend why endocrine disruptors are so threatening, it’s necessary to first comprehend the endocrine system. The endocrine system is responsible for coordinating the body’s functions. Hormones are important substances that act as messengers, traveling through the body to activate various cells, and are produced by the organs of the endocrine system. Each hormone serves a different purpose: one promotes growth, another promotes sleep, and yet another promotes reproduction, to name a few. Endocrine disruption refers to any endocrine system disorder. Some chemicals in the plastic materials used to make water bottles may cause endocrine disruption.
Bisphenol A and phthalates, substances used in many plastic products to help make the plastic flexible, are among these chemicals. These chemicals can leach from plastic bottles into our drinking water! This happens most frequently when bottled water is exposed to extremely cold or extremely hot temperatures, or when the water has been in the bottles for an extended period of time.
Ways that Bisphenol A and Phthalates Affect Someone’s Endocrine System
When Bisphenol A and phthalates appear to our cells to be very similar to natural hormones of the reproductive system, so when they are present in high concentrations, they can cause confusion. When these chemicals bind to reproductive system cells, for example, the chemicals cause abnormal responses in the cells and can even stimulate cancer cell growth.
Some endocrine disruptors have been shown to have effects in laboratory rats with a system that is very similar to ours, but the effects of these endocrine disruptors in humans are unknown and still being researched. Because many chemicals in bottled water are present in low concentrations in the water, they do not cause these negative effects right away. However, some of these chemicals may remain in our bodies for an extended period of time. Endocrine disruptors may build up in our bodies as we continue to drink bottled water contaminated with chemicals, eventually affecting the endocrine system.
CONCLUSION:
“We must guard our own health!” When possible, replace plastic bottles with glass or metal bottles. This will also aid in the reduction of plastic pollution! If you’re going to use plastic water bottles, look for ones that don’t contain bisphenol. When reusing plastic water bottles, inspect them for cracks that could allow bacteria to grow. Last but not least, make sure your bottled water isn’t subjected to sudden temperature changes. The chemicals in the plastic can leach into the water if the bottles are frozen, left in a hot car, or exposed to sunlight.
