Bottled Water
choose filtered tap water
Here are the facts:
- The U.S. is the largest consumer of bottled water.
- An estimated 2.5 million plastic water bottles are thrown away every hour in the U.S.
- Although sometimes purified, bottled water can be contaminated with bacteria, plasticizers, heavy metals, or organic chemicals like benzene.
- Manufacturing and transporting bottles uses millions of barrels of oil, large amounts of electricity, and produces toxic exhausts and greenhouse gases.
- In the U.S., less than 20% of plastic bottles are recycled.
Use a stainless steel container (or a glass mug) and fill it with filtered tap water.
The Truth About Bottled Water
- Bottled water regulations are often less strict than laws applying to municipal water supplies.
- Despite its clean image, some bottled water is nothing more than repackaged tap water.
- Making plastic bottles uses toxic chemicals and leaves a heavy carbon footprint.
- Plastic ends up in the oceans, landfills, and in the stomachs of wildlife.
- Some polycarbonate bottles can leach Bisphenol-A (BPA), an estrogen-like compound linked to birth defects, into drinking water.
- Many flavored, sports, and vitamin waters contain sweeteners and stimulants like caffeine that can add unnecessary calories and raise blood pressure.
Better Options:
- Tap water is drawn, purified, and pumped locally at a fraction of the energy and resource cost.
- Choose a 3-stage filter for your kitchen faucet.
- Carry a reusable water bottle made of ultra- lightweight stainless steel and fill it with filtered water.
Get More Information:
Bottled Water: Pure Drink or Pure Hype
http://www.nrdc.org/water/drinking/bw/bwinx.asp
Natural Resources Defense Council petition to the FDA on the results of a four-year study of the bottled water industry, including its bacterial and chemical contamination problems. The petition and report find major gaps in bottled water regulation and conclude that bottled water is not necessarily safer than tap water.
Opinion of the Scientific Panel on Food Additives, Flavourings, Processing Aids and Materials in Contact with Food on a request from the Commission related to 2,2-BIS(4-HYDROXYPHENYL)PROPAN (Bisphenol A)
http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/scdocs/doc/s428.pdf
The Scientific Panel on Food Additives, Flavourings, Processing Aids and Materials in Contact with Food , evaluation of the use of bisphenol A (BPA) in plastic materials and articles intended to come into contact with food, giving particular attention to the exposure of infants.
Environment, Health and Safety Online: Drinking Water Information
http://www.ehso.com/ehso3.php?URL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nrdc.org/water/drinking/bw/table1.html
Parallels the Natural Resources Defense Council report and incorporates newer information on consumption of bottled water.
Contact the Center for Environmental Oncology at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute for updated information and evidence-based resources at http://www.environmentaloncology.org.