The use of bottled water has increased rapidly over the years because of its reputation for being clean compared to tap water. Nonetheless, bottled water has adverse effects on the environment and human health. The plastics used to manufacture the containers that store the bottled water have proved hazardous. Many people prefer using bottled water without thinking of its adverse effects. Bottled water is one of the highest plastics manufactured that negatively affects the environment and the human health.
One of the most notable impacts of bottled water is that it has an adverse effect on the environment. Even though it is argued that the plastic bottles can be recycled for future use, it is apparent that it is not a full proof method of saving the environment from the effects of plastic bottles. When these bottles are recycled, they are reused, and they still find themselves in the hands of the people who dump them again. Therefore, recycling water bottles do not save the environment; they still find their way back in the hands of the people and might find their way to the oceans, lakes, and groundwater, thus contaminating the water. Most plastic bottles from bottled water are left stagnant in the landfills, and this makes them leak harmful chemicals into the groundwater (Wu et al. 544). The chemicals used to make these bottles leach into the groundwater thus contaminating it making it unsafe for human and animal consumption.
Secondly, plastic bottles from bottled water will always end up in the landfills. Plastics are recyclable, but they are littered in landfills, yet they do not dispose of, and this is a threat to the wildlife and the ecosystem. When littered, plastics can spend many years in the landfills without decomposing, and this makes our environment full of garbage and a less healthy place for humans. In addition, cleaning up the growing piles of plastic litter in the landfills is very expensive thus affecting the economy. Thus, plastic bottles from bottled water are filling up the landfills thus affecting the beauty of our environment (Wu et al. 549). In fact, most plastic bottles from bottled water are not recycled. Instead, they are left lying in the landfills thus leaching dangerous chemicals into the ground.
Thirdly, plastic bottles take part in the emission of greenhouse gases. They increase environmental and air pollution. This is done through the manufacturing process and the transportation process. Most manufacturers use oil to make plastic bottles that are used to store bottled water as well as fuel to transport them causing significant carbon emissions to the air, which later affects the ozone layer causing global warming. Therefore, bottled water travels miles and miles to reach people with clean tap water as well as those with no water thus causing hazardous carbon emissions that damage the ozone layer. Bottled water are a significant source of pollution, and this increases the emission of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere.
Lastly, bottled water has adverse effects on our health. Many people prefer buying bottled water for the reasons that it is clean water. However, according to Gorelick et al., there is no guarantee that bottled water is clean because some of this water is just direct from the taps (930). In addition, bottled water is stored in plastics, yet they contain dangerous chemicals that can be very damaging to the human body. These chemicals used to manufacture plastics can leach into the water thus affecting the human body. According to Li, Xu, et al., plastic bottles contain a chemical known as Bisphenol A (BPA), which has been proven perilous to the human health (559). The BPA chemical is linked to health risks such as neurological difficulties, infertility in women, defects in unborn babies, and some types of cancers. Therefore, plastic bottles used to store bottled water are harmful to the human health.
In conclusion, even though many people have opted for bottled water, it comes with its downsides. For instance, bottled water has detrimental impacts on the environment and our health. They lead to the emission of greenhouse gases thus affecting the ecosystem and the ozone layer. Moreover, the chemicals used to manufacture the bottles are destructive to the human health. In essence, bottled water has negative impacts on both the human health and the environment.
Works Cited
Li, Xu, et al. "Simultaneous Determination and Assessment of 4-Nonylphenol, Bisphenol A and Triclosan in Tap Water, Bottled Water and Baby Bottles." Environment International, 36.6 (2010): 557-562. Print.
Gorelick, Marc H., et al. "Perceptions about Water and Increased use of Bottled Water in Minority Children." Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, 165.10 (2011): 928-932. Print.
Wu, Qian, et al. "Perchlorate in Tap Water, Groundwater, Surface Waters, and Bottled Water from China and its Association with other Inorganic Anions and with Disinfection Byproducts." Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 58.3 (2010): 543-550. Print.
