If you need more reason to reduce your plastic usage, consider this: It could be harmful to your health.
Rising temperatures in many parts of the world mean that time of year when staying hydrated is essential. However, as a new study shows, getting enough fluids is only one element of staying healthy during summer. Another important factor to consider is the type of container you drink from.
It's not always easy to avoid: It's simple to grab a convenient plastic bottle from the cooler, fridge, or the tightly-wrapped case water bottles usually come in, especially during outdoor parties and picnic season. However, while you are already aware of the long-term effects of that single plastic bottle once it is thrown, it may also be causing harm to your health.
According to the Thomson Reuters Foundation, a human consumes 44 pounds of plastic throughout their lifetime. The only one who is eating plastic is you, of course. Plastic goods break down into microplastics, which are tiny microparticles. As scientists investigate the existence of microplastics in the foods we eat (which often get up in our food via the packaging they come in—like plastic bottles), it's becoming clear that because plastic—which, remember, is a synthetic substance made up of chemicals—doesn't break down naturally like other materials (like paper or even glass), we end up consuming these tiny, artificial microparticles that then end up in our bodies.
According to data from the World Health Organization and the nonprofit journalism organization Orb Media, plastic water bottles may contain the most plastic of any beverage, as reported by Business Insider in 2019. "These tiny plastic bits—many smaller than a human hair—are everywhere," Business Insider explained, noting that a bottle of water has an average of 10.4 plastic particles.
According to recent reports from Harvard, Chicago's School of Public Health, and other medical science institutions, certain chemicals found in plastic, such as phthalates and bisphenol A (commonly referred to as "BPA"), can act as toxins in the body, causing cancers like breast cancer and liver cancer. (Note that the Harvard article we cited is about plastic heating containers in the microwave.) The effects of eating chemicals from plastic are still being studied, but is it even worth the risk when you go for that water bottle?
As the summer season approaches, it would be worth it to take a much more refreshing approach: Carry your non-plastic water container to any place or occasion you're attending. One major perk: It's also an excellent method to make sure you're drinking from your vessel (because we've all become more aware of how easily viruses and illnesses travel).