Bottled Water Is Taking an Increasing Toll on Planetary and Human Health, Experts Warn

Plastic bottles containing supposedly clean, healthy water from a mountain spring, a municipal tap or other sources have become a part of the modern landscape — and landfill.

A new commentary published by population health experts in BMJ Global Health warns that the enormous and increasing toll of bottled water on the health of humans and the planet warrants rethinking its use.

Every minute, one million bottles of water are bought all over the world, a press release from BMJ Group said. The experts say that figure will continue to rise as demand escalates.

“The widespread use of bottled water contributes significantly to pollution; it exposes people to potentially harmful contaminants and also contributes to greenhouse gas emissions,” Amit Abraham, lead author and assistant professor of clinical population health sciences at Weill Cornell Medicine–Qatar (WCM-Q), told Newsweek.

Approximately two billion people worldwide rely on bottled water because they have limited or no safe drinking water access, BMJ Group said. Most others consume it out of convenience and because it has been marketed as a safer and often healthier choice than tap water.

But the authors from WCM-Q say the health and safety of bottled water is a myth.

The authors explained that bottled water is often not subjected to the same stringent safety and quality standards as tap water. It can also carry the risk of toxic chemicals that leach from the plastic, particularly if the bottles are kept in storage for a long period of time or exposed to high temperatures and sunlight.

An estimated 10 to 78 percent of samples taken from bottled water contained contaminants, including phthalates, bisphenol A (BPA) and microplastics, which are often classed as hormone or endocrine disruptors.

Microplastic contamination has been linked to immune system dysregulation, oxidative stress and changes in fat levels in the blood. The authors said BPA exposure has been associated with high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes and obesity.

“While there are short-term safety thresholds, the long-term effects of these contaminants remain largely unknown,” Abraham said, adding that microplastics are also able to enter the food chain.

Tap water is more environmentally friendly than bottled water. Plastic bottles are the second most common pollutant in the ocean, making up 12 percent of its plastic waste. Only nine percent of the bottles are recycled, with most ending up in landfills or incinerators, or being “exported” to countries with low and middle incomes, which the authors said raises the issue of social justice.

The authors added that extracting the raw materials needed to make plastic bottles, as well as the process of manufacturing them, contributes significantly to global greenhouse gas emissions.

“Collectively, the accumulated evidence underscores the critical role of government interventions and educational campaigns in shifting public perception and behaviour. These campaigns should highlight the environmental stewardship and health benefits of choosing tap water, effectively driving a cultural change towards more sustainable consumption practices,” the authors said.

Though some steps have been taken to rein in the use of single-use plastics and facilitate drinking water in public spaces and restaurants, the authors said much more must be done.

“The reliance on [bottled water] incurs significant health, financial and environmental costs, calling for an urgent re-evaluation of its widespread use,” the authors said. “By prioritising tap water consumption, we can collectively address the multifaceted challenges posed by [bottled water] and embrace tap water as a cornerstone of environmental responsibility and public health.”