Effect Of Bottled Water On The Environment – In the US, it takes 17 million barrels of oil to meet the annual bottled water demand to produce the plastic. Photograph: Robert Smith/Alami Stock Photo/Alami Stock Photo

Researchers have found that the environmental impact of bottled water is 1,400 times higher than that of tap water.

Effect Of Bottled Water On The Environment

The impact of bottled water on natural resources is 3,500 times greater than that of tap water, scientists have confirmed.

Single Use Plastic Water Bottles

The study is the first of its kind to examine the impact of bottled water in Barcelona, ​​which has become increasingly popular despite improvements in tap water quality in recent years.

A study led by the Barcelona Global Health Institute (IS Global) found that if the city’s population all drank bottled water, this would generate 3,500 times more resource extraction costs at $83.9 million than if all drank tap water. (£60.3m) per annum.

The authors concluded that the reduction in environmental impact more than offsets the small risk of bladder cancer associated with drinking tap water. The process of treating drinking water produces low levels of trihalomethanes (THM), which are associated with a higher risk of bladder cancer. THM levels in drinking water are regulated in the European Union.

“Health reasons do not justify the widespread use of bottled water,” said ISGlobal researcher Cristina Villanueva, who led the study. Yes, to be fair, drinking tap water is worse for the health of the environment, but when you weigh the two, you gain less from drinking bottled water. It is clear that the environmental impact of bottled water is higher than that of tap water.

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In the US, it takes 17 million barrels of oil to meet the annual bottled water demand to produce the plastic. Furthermore, bottled water in the UK is at least 500 times more expensive than tap water.

Villanueva added, “I think this study will help reduce bottled water consumption, but we need more proactive policies to change that.”

“For example, in Barcelona, ​​we could have more educational campaigns to make the public aware that the health benefits of drinking bottled water are small compared to the environmental impact. We need to improve access to public water, public fountains, public buildings where you can bring your own bottle and not have to buy it. We need to facilitate public water supply in public streets.

“People trust bottled water because advertisers have done a good job of convincing people it’s a good alternative, so we need the effort on the other hand.” Various sources including springs, reservoirs, glaciers or municipal tap water supplies. Tap water, on the other hand, refers to water obtained from a public water system, which is defined by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a water supply system through pipes or other constructed conduits.

The Facts About Bottled Water

When choosing tap water or bottled water, you should understand that the primary difference between bottled and tap water is their method of delivery, not their source or quality, which can vary widely for both. Neither is inherently safe or healthy, although tap water is always cheaper and more environmentally friendly depending on its use.

By definition, tap water is provided through the public water supply system, while bottled water is delivered in sealed containers in bottles under controlled conditions. This fundamental difference, and the unique circumstances in which it occurs for different brands and tap water systems, is the cause of many of the differences in safety, health, cost, regulation, and environmental friendliness. Choosing between tap water or bottled water is not as easy as one might think.

Bottled water is defined by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as “water intended for human consumption and packaged in a bottle or other container, provided that it does not contain any additives, that is safe and may contain appropriate antimicrobial agents.” A certain amount of fluoride” in the European Union The EU Drinking Water Directive refers to bottled water as “water intended for human consumption in bottles or containers intended for sale”. Containers can mean any type of packaging, including bottles, cans or cartons.

According to the US FDA, not just any bottled water that can be called “bottled water” must come from a trusted source. The FDA regulates bottled water sold or distributed to consumers based on their geological source and the treatment processes applied. This video provides a map showing the sources of some of the largest US bottled water brands.

Where Does Bottled Water Come From?

US bottled water classifications are artesian water, mineral water, spring water, well water, sparkling mineral or spring water, and distilled water. These are the definitions of each of the US bottled water categories.

On the other hand, the European Union provides a simple classification, dividing the classification into natural mineral water, spring water and other bottles or containers. These are the definitions of EU bottled water categories.

This video from Natural Mineral Water Europe (NMWE), the continent’s main bottled water trade association, explains how to protect natural bottled water sources.

The fundamental difference between bottled water and tap water is in packaging (or lack thereof), selection, price and source, not quality or safety, which can vary widely for both. The tap water supplied to the municipality comes from pre-determined surface or ground water, and the residents of the municipality have no choice or preference in the matter, regardless of the reason. But they receive abundant clean water at a very low price. With bottled water, consumers pay more but have a wider range of options to choose from based on important criteria such as source, type, manufacturer or taste.

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The main benefit of bottled water is its critical role in providing clean drinking water sources in emergencies and providing clean drinking water to low-income urban populations in developing countries. In this regard, bottled water plays an important interim role in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 6.1 (SDG 6.1). For example, a study that assessed the role of bottled drinking water in achieving SDG 6.1 in Indonesia found that 71% of Jakarta residents rely on some form of bottled water.

The main disadvantage of bottled water is the negative environmental impact. According to Sustainability Harvard, bottled water uses fossil fuels throughout its life cycle, contributes to global warming and causes pollution. For example, while the plastic used in current water bottles (polyethylene terephthalate PET) is completely recyclable, 86 percent of plastic water bottles used in the United States alone are not recycled and end up as waste or trash, according to the Earth Policy Institute. Rutgers University. Bottled water in plastic containers can contain obsogens – chemicals in plastic like BPA and phthalates that interfere with hormones and cause obesity.

Tap water is water supplied through a water distribution valve and obtained from the public water system. Public water systems (PWSs) are municipal entities responsible for controlling, managing, and maintaining water treatment plants or water sources that supply water distribution systems. The expansion and expansion of piped water systems has changed the world by bringing clean water to billions of people who have faced health and development problems caused by lack of clean water over the past centuries.

The image below from the Irish Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) shows the processes in a typical water treatment plant.

Reasons Why Drinking Bottled Water Is Bad For Your Health

The organization of public water systems varies throughout the world. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is the federal agency responsible for providing safe drinking water to more than 90% of Americans in partnership with the states they represent. EPA recognizes three categories of public water systems:

In the year In 2007, there were approximately 155,693 public water systems in the United States, according to EPA Drinking and Ground Water Statistics. Of these, 52, 110 (33.5%) are community water systems and 103, 583 (66.5%) are non-community water systems, 84, 744 are transitory and 18, 839 are non-transitory systems.

Sources of public water systems are both groundwater and surface water. Although the majority of community water systems (78%) are supplied by groundwater, more people (70%) are supplied by community water systems throughout the year with surface water from lakes, rivers and reservoirs.

Permanent public or private water supplies in the EU are regulated by the Drinking Water Directive (DWD). DWD aims to “protect human health from the adverse effects of any pollution intended for human consumption by ensuring that it is wholesome and clean and to improve the supply of water intended for human consumption.”

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