Why Plastic Water Bottles Are Bad For The Environment?

The effect of using plastic water bottles is so far-reaching that some U.S. and Canadian local governments are considering a ban on their sale. Here you will find an overall discussion on why plastic water bottles are bad for the environment.

The bottled water industry is a big business worldwide. And it’s been growing. But the use of plastic water bottles is exacerbating climate change. How?! Well, for instance, more than 17 million barrels of oil are required to produce plastic water bottles to meet America’s demand each year! Disposable water bottles are convenient. But you’re guaranteed to find water in a plastic bottle almost anywhere you go!

Besides, the critical environmental issues with bottled water are waste and uncertainty over the long-term health effects created by plastic. Starting from the way they are produced and the way they are trashed- plastic water bottles are sure to wreak havoc in their wake. Read the reasons below why plastic bottles are so bad for the environment. 

• Non-Biodegradable

The first and foremost reason to avoid plastic water bottles is they do not biodegrade. Meaning, there’s no decomposition for plastic. And they take a lot of time to break into microplastic. And these microplastics remain on earth forever, releasing toxic chemicals to the environment, and are bad for your health as well.

• Energy Consumption

The environmental concern is genuine because it takes vast amounts of fossil fuel to create plastic bottles. These bottles contain petroleum as a byproduct. And that way, it is hazardous to the environment and can lead to various health problems.

• Less Regulation for Bottle Manufacturing

There are very few and almost no regulations in making plastic water bottles, so there are traces of harmful toxins such as mold, phthalates, microbes, arsenic, and thousands of other contaminants.

• Pollution

Plastic water bottles cause pollution. U.S. landfills alone are overflowing with 2 million tons of discarded water bottles alone. Among all other discarded water bottles, only PET bottles are recyclable. However, these eventually pollute seas, rivers, sewerage pipes, and whatnot! They are bad for the environment, humans, and animals alike. Plastic bottle tops are not recyclable and usually end up in the ocean. Marine animals often mistake them for food and even die from toxins and choking.

• Rising Concern Over Health Issues

There is a growing concern that bottled water contains carcinogens and microbial contaminants. Researchers believe these contaminants will increase day by day and even cause cancer if people are not well aware of reducing the usage of plastics. Plastic water bottles release microplastics, which get into your drinking water. Besides, drinking bottled water frequently can develop and cause fertility issues and even weight gain.

• The danger of Its Reuse

Even if refilling disposable water bottles several times to reduce our carbon footprint seems like a responsible deed, it’s not advised to reuse a single-use plastic water bottle. Most of these plastic water bottles contain BPA, which is an industrial chemical used to make certain plastics and resins.

• Causing Water Shortage

Apart from petroleum use in making plastic water bottles, it is estimated that three liters of water are used for packaging one liter of bottled water. So, as you can imagine, millions of gallons of water are used to produce plastic water bottles. Well, this is a reason that leads to the shortage of drinking water.

The worldwide consumption of bottled water is increasing every year. There is a myth about bottled water being purer than tap water, which is not entirely false. But this statement is often used as a gimmick! If you want to lessen the need for plastic water bottle use, purchasing a water purifier can be a good start! There are different water purifiers both for home use and outdoor use!

Water is life and clean water is vital for health. However, we take water for granted, and we are less concerned about wasting it. On the contrary, when we use bottled water, we pay too much for it. But what if we think and take action toward solving the water crisis?

Now is the best time, and skipping plastic water bottles and replacing them with reusable water bottles is the most sensible way to reduce the harmful impacts of plastic on the environment. Besides, we can have control over the usage of fossil fuels along with decreasing global warming.