Dangers of bottled water: plastic microparticles ingested every day

Water in plastic bottles isn't good for the environment or the planet's health. But is it the ally of good health?

To determine whether plastic residues were ingested when drinking bottled water, the association Agir pour l'environnement commissioned the Labocéa laboratory to analyze nine bottles sold in stores:

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This study focused solely on the detection of microplastics. This initiative should be repeated to identify the presence of the following potential hazards: NIAS (Non Intentionally Added Substances) or antimony trioxide, classified as a "possible human carcinogen".

A study by Agir pour l'environnement on the dangers of plastic bottles

On July 20, 2022, the association Agir pour l'environnement published the results of its study on pollution in bottled water on its website.

And the conclusion is categorical: 78% of bottled water is contaminated by microplastics.

The study was carried out on the best-selling plastic bottle brands in France: Badoit, Carrefour, Cristaline, Evian (50 cl and 1 liter), Perrier, Vittel (33 cl and 1 liter), Volvic.

The laboratory purchased all the water bottles, which were protected from sunlight.

Between 1 and 121 plastic microparticles per liter in water bottles

Microplastics are small plastic particles measuring between 5 millimeters and a few hundred nanometers, or 70 times smaller than the thickness of a human hair.

Unlike many resources, plastic does not degrade in nature. It crumbles into microplastics, then fragments into even smaller particles. Nanoplastics.

Unfortunately, they are everywhere: in our bodies, in nature, in our food and in our water...

Analysis of the contents of brand-name plastic bottles revealed between 1 and 121 plastic microparticles per liter.

What's the worst bottled water?

Children's water bottles are the most contaminated!

With 121 particles per liter, or 40 particles for a 33 cl bottle, Vittel Kids is the most microplastic-polluted bottle in the study.

Drinking one liter a day, a child would ingest 44,165 microparticles of plastic a year.

What are the best bottled waters?

No particles were detected in Carrefour's Montclar and Volvic source bottles.

What is the origin of these traces of plastic in water bottles?

Note: According to a study by researchers at the University of Heidelberg, PET releases large quantities of antimony, a toxic metal (poisonous in the same way as arsenic) and a potential carcinogen. More on this subject in a forthcoming article.

According to the study, the majority of these microplastics come from the bottle, cork and cap.

/The results may be greater if the bottles are exposed to sunlight, strong light or stored for longer periods.

Is it dangerous to drink from a plastic bottle?

In 2019, the WHO recognized the presence of microplastics in the environment and in water of all types. Whether in the water in plastic bottles, in the sea or at the tap.

However, she was unable to assess the health risks, as no studies have yet been carried out on the subject.

In addition, a study commissioned by WWF from the University of Newcastle (Australia) concluded that every week, each individual ingests an average of 5 grams of plastic - the equivalent of a credit card.

It specifies that the main source of plastic ingestion is water, whether from bottles or from the tap.

It's best to avoid heating plastic, and to avoid letting water stagnate in plastic bottles for several weeks.

Why is plastic dangerous to your health?

Plastic has long been considered an inert, harmless material.

We now know that plastic pollutes sustainably throughout its entire life cycle.

Plastics come from fossil resources, oil and gas, which undergo chemical transformations completed by thousands of additives to provide flexibility, strength, color and impermeability.

Additives accounting for up to 80% of the final material include bisphenols, phthalates and flame retardants, which are known for their toxicity.

What are the dangers of plastic?

A study conducted by a Korean team from the Biotechnology Division, DGIST in 2021 on mice reveals that microplastics penetrate the brain and destroy protective cells.

The French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety (ANSES) points the finger at intestinal disorders in animals caused by microplastics (mainly shellfish and fish).

Why is plastic bad for the environment?

According to a report by the NGOs Earthwatch Europe and Plastic Oceans UK, grouping together 9 studies, the plastic water bottle is the leading plastic waste found in European waters (14% versus 12% for plastic food containers).

Water bottles are therefore one of the main contributors to the abundance of plastic waste in seas and oceans.

Plastic takes more than four centuries to degrade. As a result, up to 13 million tonnes of plastic end up in the oceans every year.

In 2019, WWF estimated that 150 million tonnes of plastic were in the oceans.

In particular, this has an impact on animals. A case in point is the whale found stranded in the Philippines a few years ago, with forty kilograms of plastic in its belly.

What about recycling?

In 2021, ADEME reported that the plastic recycling rate was 21.3% in France, compared with 30% in Europe.

What about manufacturing?

Plastic is made from an astronomical amount of oil, coal, gas and water.

A complementary study on the dangers of plastic bottles

In March 2018, an initial US study highlighted the presence of microplastics in 93% of the 250 bottles analyzed, with an average of 10 microplastics larger than 100 micrometers per liter.

(ÖKO's ultra-filtering water bottle filters out all particles larger than 2 microns)

How much does a bottle of mineral water cost?

Prices vary between €0.12 / liter and €0.82 / liter

The average of €0.47/liter seems representative of the cost of a bottle of water per liter.

What about tap water?

It costs an average of €0.00435 / liter

The price of a bottle of mineral water is therefore 100 times greater than that of tap water.

How to replace plastic water bottles?

The determining factor in the presence of microplastics is certainly the length of time the water is in contact with the plastic.

And even if you go out to buy your daily plastic water bottle, you won't know how long it's been sitting in a warehouse or on the parking lot in the sun.

A plastic bottle doesn't pose this problem, as it is filled daily, or almost daily. Water doesn't stagnate for weeks on end.

ÖKO EUROPE's ultra-filtering water bottles are a step in the right direction, filtering out plastic micro-particles.

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Best regards,

ÖKO EUROPE