Welcome back to ‘What’s Your Eddy IQ?’
This week we asked: Bottled water contains more potentially risky chemicals than tap water. True or False? And the answer is True!
Bottled water is sold almost everywhere all over the world, in convenience stores, schools, restaurants, etc.… According to Statista, retail sales of bottled water in Canada were predicted to increase from 2.55 billion Canadian dollars in 2017 to 2.61 billion Canadian dollars in 2018 (SOURCE). One of the main reasons why bottled water became so popular among customers is its convenience, allowing them to carry their water wherever they go. Despite its popularity, have you actually considered whether it’s actually safe to drink bottled water?
A truly dreadful and recently released study conducted by Orb Media indicated that more than 90% of 260 tested bottles of water contained contaminants, caused by micro plastic (SOURCE). This contaminated bottled water belongs to some of the most famous and popular brands in the world such as Aquafina, Dasani, and Nestle Pure Life. The study found around 10.4 tiny plastic pieces per liter of water, twice that of tap water (SOURCE). According to Sherri Mason, a micro plastic researcher, most of plastic fragments found in bottled water may come from the industrial process of bottling water (SOURCE).
In addition, there are 3 hazards that are often found in the plastic used for water bottles, including BPA, PET, and PVC (SOURCE). BPA stands for Bisphenol A and is typically used to prevent softer plastics from cracking. BPA poses potential health risks, for example, risks of being poisoned, breast cancers, hyperactivity, and aggression in children. In addition, PET (Polyethylene terephthalate) bottles are almost impossible to clean, so when they’re re-used, they may contain food residue or even fecal matter in the plastic, which (as you might expect) presents a threat to your health. Furthermore, PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride), which is used to make plastic flexible, is suggested to cause liver cancer and sterility in males, among other issues.
It’s difficult for us to be certain of the kind of plastics that various companies of water bottles are using as they may change plastics without prior notice. Therefore, tap water, especially filtered tap water is generally much safer than bottled water.
Thanks for playing along on “What’s Your Eddy IQ?”. Tune in next Thursday to play again!
About Eddy
Eddy is an industry leader in leak protection and water visibility solutions. Our suite of smart products offers a comprehensive water management system for homeowners that protects, controls, and conserves. Our products have saved thousands of customers millions of liters of water by continuously monitoring water usage in their home, and if something unusual is detected, alerting them to the issue. For more details, please contact us at 1 877 388 3339 or email info@eddyhome.com.
