Negative Effects of Plastic Bottle Pollution

by Rudrajit Chakraborty Digital Marketing Expert

Plastic bottles are widely used items in our everyday lives. Statistics reveal that more than 50 billion plastic water bottles are sold in a year worldwide. But sadly, only 23% of the bottles are picked up for the recycling process. This means that more than 38 billion plastic bottles end up as toxic waste in landfills or oceans. This leads to plastic water bottle pollution. A single plastic bottle takes more than 800 years to fully decompose. As more amount of plastic waste gets accumulated in the landfills, smaller plastic particles seep through the ground into our rivers and oceans, which end up harming the fishes and other marine animals.

PET bottles are the most common type of plastic bottle manufactured commercially. PET plastic bottles are commonly used to package mineral water, aerated drinks, juices, sodas and much more. Plastic bottles are lightweight and durable. They are easy to stack up. This is why many people use plastic bottles to store drinking water in their homes. While plastic bottle pollution facts regarding the environment are quite well known, unfortunately, the side effects of drinking water from plastic bottles is not much of common knowledge.

To reduce plastic water bottle pollution, it is important to reduce the use of plastic bottles. This can only be done when more people recognize the harmful effects that using plastic bottles can have on our health. People may or may not worry about the environment, but everyone likes to take good care of their health. If more people know about the negative health effects of plastic water bottles, it may lead to less usage of plastic bottles. This can help to lessen the amount of plastic waste in the world.

When we drink water from plastic water bottles, our health can be harmed in the following ways:

BPA

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical used in the manufacturing of most plastic bottles. It helps to make the plastic material hard and clear. BPA has been associated with several health diseases including neurological difficulties, heart problems, early puberty in girls, reduced fertility in women, and certain types of cancer. When people drink water from a plastic bottle, they are open to the risk of accidentally ingesting BPA into their bodies. This can lead to different health problems.

Dioxin

For manufacturing companies, plastic is popular as a packaging material because the contents inside remain safe even in higher temperatures. But when it comes to keeping drinking water in a plastic bottle, direct exposure to sunlight for a long duration can lead to a harmful a toxin called Dioxin being released by the plastic water bottle. This is a common occurrence when water bottles are kept in the back of a car for a long time. Drinking this water can cause breast cancer.

Phthalates

A harmful chemical called Phthalates is found in plastic water bottles. This can cause a range of developmental and reproductive effects, including reduced sperm count, testicular abnormality, and other issues.

Immunity

When water is stored in a plastic bottle for too many days, it may produce some harmful substances like fluoride, arsenic, and aluminum. Such chemicals can have adverse effects on the immune system.