Rethinking bottled water in public health discourse

Scientists have made an urgent call to reduce or eliminate the consumption of bottled water due not only to its environmental impact but also to the danger it poses to public health.

Recommendations suggest that drinking filtered tap water is a more sustainable and safer alternative in most urban areas, where water quality standards are met. Avoiding the use of single-use plastic bottles is a key measure to take care of both personal health and the environment.

“Rethinking bottled water in public health discourse” the study that is making headlines these days.

The new study going viral by researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine in Qatar and published in the scientific journal BMJ Global Health, Rethinking bottled water in public health discourse, addresses the urgent need to reconsider the use of bottled water from a public health and environmental sustainability perspective.

Overall summary of the study

The use of plastic bottles for beverage consumption, including water, has a major impact on human and planetary health, due to the filtration of toxic substances, the degradation of ecosystems and the increase of greenhouse gas emissions.
Despite these costs, bottled water consumption has increased significantly worldwide.
Misunderstandings persist about the safety of bottled and tap water. Campaigns to correct these misconceptions are essential. Low-income countries must improve their infrastructure to provide safe drinking water.
Regulations on bottled water are less stringent than those for tap water and need to be strengthened..

The negative impact of plastic bottles

The study highlights the negative impact of plastic bottles on both human health and the planet due to contaminants such as microplastics and bisphenol A (BPA), which are present in many brands of bottled water. These contaminants can cause serious health problems such as hormone disruption and cardiovascular disease. In addition, the process of producing and disposing of the bottles generates a considerable carbon footprint and pollution in the oceans

In terms of regulation, the article points out that tap water in high-income countries is generally safer than bottled water, although many consumers are unaware of this. The lack of strict regulation of bottled water, in contrast to tap water, poses additional risks, as manufacturers are not required to report the presence of contaminants in their products.

In the article they point out that between 10 and 78% of bottled water contains contaminants, figures that are curiously low considering the number of warnings from scientists about bottled water.

You may recall the study Rapid single-particle chemical imaging of nanoplastics by SRS microscopy that became so popular after its publication in January of this year and which warned about the presence of not only microplastics, but also of nanoplastics in bottled water, showing chilling results with an average of 240,000 plastic fragments detectable in each litre of water.

If you want to know more about this study, you can read all about it in our post Plásticos, plásticos everywhere! El terror de los nanoplásticos.

Returning to the Weill Cornell Medicine study in Qatar, it also looks at the environmental impact of plastic bottles, which are a major ocean pollutant, and whose recycling rate is extremely low. Most bottles end up in landfills or are incinerated, adding to soil, water and air pollution.

The article suggests that tap water is a more sustainable, economical and safer alternative, and promotes international efforts to encourage tap water consumption through awareness campaigns, the installation of public fountains and the use of reusable bottles. Governments are urged to prioritise access to safe drinking water, especially in low- and middle-income countries.

Attempts to promote the use of tap water

The study comments that: Because regulated tap water is recognised as safe, cost-effective and environmentally sustainable, there has been an international push to support tap water as the preferred choice. Some areas in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong and the United States have banned the marketing of drinking water to the public altogether. They have also focused on raising awareness about the safety of tap water and encouraging its consumption in restaurants and bars. In addition, some countries have highlighted the sustainability of tap water compared to drinking water by actively installing drinking water fountains, providing refilling stations and distributing free reusable bottles in public spaces to facilitate access. Other initiatives are driven by non-governmental organisations and individuals who strive to encourage tap water consumption through awareness campaigns and the creation of online maps indicating locations with access to tap water.Supplementing these efforts, a personal strategy that is gaining ground is to use water filters at home, improving the drinkability of tap water, thus making it a more attractive option for everyday use. Overall, the accumulating evidence underlines the critical role of government interventions and educational campaigns in changing public perception and behaviour. These campaigns should highlight the health and environmental benefits of choosing tap water, thereby driving a cultural shift towards more sustainable consumption practices.

The conclusion is also clear

Dependence on drinking water carries significant health, financial and environmental costs, and its widespread use urgently needs to be re-evaluated. Governments must urgently address these problems and adopt sustainable alternatives to single-use plastic bottles for the benefit of human and global health. There is an urgent need for low- and middle-income countries to invest in making safe drinking water accessible. To achieve this, public awareness campaigns are essential in this transition. They can generate demand and push governments to make policy changes, and they can create government accountability for the provision of clean, safe drinking water. They should provide clear, evidence-based information about the benefits of tap water, correct false beliefs and address concerns about health risks and the taste and odour of tap water. In addition, they should also highlight the significant financial savings associated with tap water and provide practical incentives that motivate people to choose tap water over bottled options. By prioritising tap water consumption, we can collectively address the multifaceted challenges posed by tap water and embrace tap water as a cornerstone of environmental responsibility and public health.

References

Rethinking bottled water in public health discourse, Abraham A, Cheema S, Chaabna K, et al Rethinking bottled water in public health discourse BMJ Global Health 2024;9:e015226.: https://gh.bmj.com/content/9/8/e015226

Rapid single-particle chemical imaging of nanoplastics by SRS microscopy: https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2300582121

(*) WARNING

This information is based on available scientific information. These statements have not been evaluated by EFSA. Our water is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

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