the environmental and health hazards of bottled water

The Environmental and The Environmental and Health Hazards of Bottled Health Hazards of Bottled

WaterWaterA Presentation for Neumann AssociationA Presentation for Neumann Association

By By Ken VickKen Vick

MPH StudentMPH StudentWalden UniversityWalden University

PUBH 6165-3PUBH 6165-3Dr Raymond ThronDr Raymond Thron

Spring 2009Spring 2009

In this Presentation You will:In this Presentation You will:

• Understand the ecological effect that Understand the ecological effect that discarded plastic bottles have on the discarded plastic bottles have on the environmentenvironment

• Understand the possible health Understand the possible health consequences of reusing plastic bottlesconsequences of reusing plastic bottles

• Understand the economic considerations Understand the economic considerations of using bottled waterof using bottled water

• Understand the environmental benefits of Understand the environmental benefits of reducing plastic bottle usereducing plastic bottle use

Why Cut down on Using Why Cut down on Using Bottled Water?Bottled Water?

• The Natural Resources Defense CouncilThe Natural Resources Defense Council

• The Sierra ClubThe Sierra Club

• World Wildlife FundWorld Wildlife Fund

Have all urged their supporters to Have all urged their supporters to consume less bottled water due to the consume less bottled water due to the

environmental impact of plastic bottles environmental impact of plastic bottles

Bottled Water is the Second Bottled Water is the Second Most Consumed Beverage in Most Consumed Beverage in the U.S. Today After Soft the U.S. Today After Soft DrinksDrinks• In 2007 U.S. consumption reached 8.8 In 2007 U.S. consumption reached 8.8

billion gallons or 29 gallons per person billion gallons or 29 gallons per person • The U.S is the largest consumer market for The U.S is the largest consumer market for

bottled water in the worldbottled water in the world• Many people cite the convenience, taste, Many people cite the convenience, taste,

and safety of bottled water as reasons for and safety of bottled water as reasons for increasing their consumption but few have increasing their consumption but few have considered the environmental and health considered the environmental and health impact that bottled water could haveimpact that bottled water could have

• *Statistics taken from Banerjee (2008)*Statistics taken from Banerjee (2008)

About 25% of the U.S. bottled About 25% of the U.S. bottled water is actually purified water is actually purified municipal water (tap water) municipal water (tap water) • Both Aquafina (PepsiCo) and Dasani Both Aquafina (PepsiCo) and Dasani

(Coca-Cola) originate from municipal (Coca-Cola) originate from municipal water systemswater systems

• About 75% of bottled water does come About 75% of bottled water does come from other sources including from other sources including underground water systems, rivers, underground water systems, rivers, lakes, springs, and artesian wells but lakes, springs, and artesian wells but their purity can be disputed according their purity can be disputed according to the NRDCto the NRDC

*From the NRDC*From the NRDC

Primary Concern is the Primary Concern is the Environmental Impact of Environmental Impact of PlasticPlastic• In the U.S. alone about 1.5 million barrels of oil are In the U.S. alone about 1.5 million barrels of oil are

consumed in making the bottlesconsumed in making the bottles• Most bottles end up in landfills (80%)Most bottles end up in landfills (80%)• The plastic making process releases toxins such as nickel, The plastic making process releases toxins such as nickel,

ethylbenzene, ethylene oxide, and benzene into the ethylbenzene, ethylene oxide, and benzene into the environmentenvironment

• World-wide, 2.7 million tons of plastic is made for the World-wide, 2.7 million tons of plastic is made for the bottled water industry every yearbottled water industry every year

• It is projected to take 1000 years for a plastic bottle to It is projected to take 1000 years for a plastic bottle to biodegrade in a landfillbiodegrade in a landfill

• While buried in a landfill it may leak toxic additives into While buried in a landfill it may leak toxic additives into groundwatergroundwater

*From NRDC*From NRDC

Regulation is MinimalRegulation is Minimal

• In the U.S. bottled water is regulated by the FDA In the U.S. bottled water is regulated by the FDA but according to the NRDC:but according to the NRDC:

• Exact sources are often difficult to ascertain from Exact sources are often difficult to ascertain from the labelthe label

• Allowable amounts of contaminants are not Allowable amounts of contaminants are not publishedpublished

• Some harsh chemicals are used in the cleaning of Some harsh chemicals are used in the cleaning of filtration equipment by many companiesfiltration equipment by many companies

• In 1999 a Natural Resources Defense Council study In 1999 a Natural Resources Defense Council study reported that the purity of some bottled water can reported that the purity of some bottled water can be disputedbe disputed

*From http://www.nrdc.org/water/drinking/bw/exesum.asp*From http://www.nrdc.org/water/drinking/bw/exesum.asp

1999 Study by the Natural 1999 Study by the Natural Resources Defense Council Resources Defense Council (NRDC)(NRDC)This report states that there are major gaps in bottled This report states that there are major gaps in bottled

water regulation water regulation • Bottled water is not necessarily safer than tap waterBottled water is not necessarily safer than tap water• Some bottled water contained bacterial contaminantsSome bottled water contained bacterial contaminants• Several brands contained synthetic organic chemicals Several brands contained synthetic organic chemicals

(solvents, chemicals from plastics, & trihalomethanes) (solvents, chemicals from plastics, & trihalomethanes) • Some contained inorganic contaminants such as Some contained inorganic contaminants such as

arsenicarsenic• Filtration equipment is often cleaned with Filtration equipment is often cleaned with

propylalcohol which is highly toxic and cannot be propylalcohol which is highly toxic and cannot be completely filtered out of watercompletely filtered out of water

Concerns around Shipping and Concerns around Shipping and StorageStorage

• Bottled water often gets heated during Bottled water often gets heated during shipping or storage which may cause shipping or storage which may cause chemicals to leach from the plastic chemicals to leach from the plastic container into the watercontainer into the water

• Most bottled water is shipped from other Most bottled water is shipped from other parts of the country and may contain parts of the country and may contain herbicides, pesticides, lead, and PCBsherbicides, pesticides, lead, and PCBs

• Bottled water should not be directly Bottled water should not be directly exposed to sunlight due to the possible exposed to sunlight due to the possible break down of the plasticbreak down of the plastic


Plastics Also Pollute the Plastics Also Pollute the OceansOceans

Plastics travel through sewer systems Plastics travel through sewer systems and end up in oceans where they and end up in oceans where they break up into smaller and lighter break up into smaller and lighter particles which kill more than 1 particles which kill more than 1 million seabirds and 100,000 marine million seabirds and 100,000 marine mammals every yearmammals every year

*Moeller (2005)*Moeller (2005)

Reusing Plastic Bottles can Reusing Plastic Bottles can Pose a health HazardPose a health Hazard• Risk of bacterial infection if the interior is Risk of bacterial infection if the interior is

not washed with warm soapy water and not washed with warm soapy water and completely dried in between usescompletely dried in between uses

• Possibility of chemicals leaching from the Possibility of chemicals leaching from the bottle into the waterbottle into the water

• Clear Nalgene water bottles shown to Clear Nalgene water bottles shown to contain trace amounts of BPA contain trace amounts of BPA

• A plastic bottle should only be reused a A plastic bottle should only be reused a few times (if at all)few times (if at all)

*From Bottled Water Basics (retrieved from *From Bottled Water Basics (retrieved from http://www.epa.gov/safewater/faq/pdfshttp://www.epa.gov/safewater/faq/pdfs

Economic ConsiderationsEconomic Considerations

• Bottled water is 240 to 10,000 times more Bottled water is 240 to 10,000 times more expensive than tap waterexpensive than tap water

• Far more cost effective to invest in an Far more cost effective to invest in an effective water filtering system for home effective water filtering system for home and office along with reusable glasses and and office along with reusable glasses and cupscups

• Saving on the cost associated with the Saving on the cost associated with the production, storage, and transportation of production, storage, and transportation of water productswater products


Quality Water Filtration Quality Water Filtration Systems Are Available which Systems Are Available which are cost-effectiveare cost-effective• Numerous quality home and office Numerous quality home and office

water filtration systems are available water filtration systems are available for a fraction of the cost of for a fraction of the cost of purchasing bottled water (including purchasing bottled water (including distilled water, tap filters, pitcher distilled water, tap filters, pitcher filters, ozonated water, etc.)filters, ozonated water, etc.)

Stop Using Bottled Water for Stop Using Bottled Water for 21 Days21 Days

Invitation to participate in this national Invitation to participate in this national program through:program through:

• Refraining from using all bottled waterRefraining from using all bottled water• Invest in a proven water filtration Invest in a proven water filtration

system for home and office along with system for home and office along with getting re-washable glass cupsgetting re-washable glass cups

• Register at www.nobottled Register at www.nobottled water21days.comwater21days.com

the environmental and health hazards of bottled water

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