Bottled water has been under scrutiny for its health conscious claims due to emerging clinical data that reveals the contrary. Bottled water also poses a wide range of health and environmental problems including water contamination, water extraction processes that often disrupt the ecosystem, leaching of chemicals from plastic and the pollution caused by plastic bottles.
The manufacturing of bottled water is not highly regulated which leads to unverified water quality issues. 10 major bottled water brands underwent a safety test conducted by the Environmental Working Group (EWG). Several toxins were discovered:
- · Disinfection by-products
- · Drugs
- · Chemicals that leach from Plastics
- · Bacterial Contamination
- · Arsenic
- · Radioactive pollutants
- · Fertilizer pollution: Nitrate & Ammonia
Each of these contaminants poses unique health risks including, but not limited to, cancer, reproductive toxicity, respiratory toxicity, neurotoxicity and birth defects.
Moreover, certain populations such as the elderly and infants may be more vulnerable to these effects.
Although some may argue that certain chemicals are present in low doses, the consistent exposure of each of the individual pollutants along with the combined intake of these chemicals throughout one’s lifetime justifies the need for precaution.
Filtered tap water is a healthier and greener option. However, if you are in a situation in which you have to drink bottled water, use the EWG Bottled Water Widget to help make the best choice.
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Discussion Take a look at what is being said about this article.
Melissa, on March 7th, 2010 says:
I’m glad attention is being put on the bottled water industry. I have been test water for years and it is amazing sometimes what we find in the bottle!!! The best advice i could give would to be watch the source of the water, and how it was filtered if at all. All labels will have that info in small print on the side.
Wynn, on March 8th, 2010 says:
The writer told of the contaminates in the bottled water, plus the chemicals from thr eplastic leaching into the water. She for got to tell you the same contaminates come from the tap. Filters don’t get out all the contaminates in bottled water. They don’t get out all the contaminates from your tap, either. Metals leaching from the aged water pipes and the pipes from our homes is a big problem. Ask your city water company for the MSDS Reports on the chemicals our water providers add to our water. The 12 chemicals in the SF Bay Area’s water are corrosive and most of them are toxic if injested, inhaled, or swallowed. So if our water companies would replace old pipes and use alternative tecnologies for disinfection, we could abandon drinking from plastic bottles.
Would any one of us drink from a public water fountain? Not me!
Ammonia is added in water to make chloramine. The cloramine mixes with organic matter to make secondary byproducts, caused by the disinfectants. Radon comes from Fluoridation. Fluorosillicic acid comes from the waste of fertilizer scrubbers. Drugs,fertilizer runn off, and arsenic are in recyled water. All of the contaminates listed except for the plastic leaching from the bottles are in your tap water and that’s why people drink bottled water.
We just hope bottled water it is filtered and it does taste better.
Ammonia was added to kill parasites and cut the smell of poop when we drink recycled water.
You tube: The Professional Prespective on Water Fluoridation
Read: Cloramine causes Collaterial Health Damage by Dr. Winn Parker April 2004 Independant
The Blaylock Wellness Report by Dr. Russell Blaylock. Why Fluoride is Toxic. Sept. 2004
http://www.FluorideActionNetwork.org
http://www.FluorideAlert.org
Read New York Times writer Charsles Duhig “Toxic Water Series” 2009
ZAREMA, on March 21st, 2010 says:
Thanks the author for article. The main thing do not forget about users, and continue in the same spirit.http://animelife.org.ua/
gualetar, on March 21st, 2010 says:
The subject is fully clear but why does the text lack clarity? But in general your blog is great.