Plastic Water Bottles—What Were They Thinking?
In the United States, 1500 plastic water bottles are used every second. (Lights par. 1)
Many of these water bottles end up in landfills, incapable of being reused or recycled. But the
bottles’ impact on the environment is not the only issue. The plastic used to make water bottles
contains a few harmful chemicals: Bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates. BPA is a chemical used to
make the plastic hard and clear. It is an endocrine disruptor that has been proven to be hazardous
to human health. Bisphenol A is correlated to certain types of cancer, neurological difficulties,
early puberty in girls, reduced fertility in women, premature labor, and birth defects. BPA enters
the body through exposure to plastic such as the plastic in bottled beverages and cleaning
products. The plastic also contains phthalates, which are used to make plastics such as polyvinyl
chloride (PVC) more flexible. Phthalates are known to reduce sperm count, cause testicular
abnormality and tumors, as well as gender development issues. The phthalate concentration
increases the longer the bottle is stored. Bottled water is very costly, and water can freely be
refilled with the same or higher quality water than that in the bottle. Water bottles harm humans
and the environment and many ways.
Water bottle companies have done a lot of irreversible damage. The waste is taken to
foreign countries, where mountains of plastic bottles in landfills can be seen. Recycling plastic
water bottles is costly, and the plastic-making process uses over two gallons of water for the
purification process of every one-gallon of water—not a good ratio. Water bottle companies
create a façade that tap water is unsafe and dirty to market their product as a cleaner and safer
substitute. Shockingly, the water used in water bottles is often tap water. Tap water is held to a
higher quality standard than that of water bottles.
This entire situation is sickening. People are receiving lower quality water for a higher
price. The chemicals inside of water bottles are hurting people. Water bottles provide fewer
benefits at the cost of more negatives. There is lots of waste in other countries or on the streets in
the US. I am disappointed in the carelessness of mankind. There is a plethora of waste and
humans are destroying the Earth by being unconcerned.
Most people do not see the waste. The trash is out of sight and out of mind. Without
seeing the waste, nobody notices the impact it makes and nobody makes an effort to change. The
use of water bottles is defended by the advertisements from water bottle companies that claim
their product is better and of higher quality than the water from the tap.
This issue can be solved. People need to take a stand against all the waste and pollution
caused from plastic bottles. Reuse materials like a refillable water bottle. People can begin to
reduce waste of water bottles simply by using reusable water bottles rather than taking a plastic
one every day. Nalgenes are a cheap alternative to plastic water bottles and last a long time. They
are highly durable and worth the small price. People can carry a BPA-free refillable water bottle
with them wherever they go, and encourage others to do the same. Reduce the amount of waste
produced. Avoid the use of bottled beverages whenever possible. Drink from glasses or water
fountains. Refill your own BPA-free water bottle. Conduct research and check the quality of
your tap water. If necessary, buy a water filter and save money on water bottles.
The use of plastic bottles needs to stop. The easy storage of liquid is undeniably
convenient, but there are many alternatives available that execute the same purpose and do not
cause harm to the environment or humans. People need to take a stand now, or else in 100 years
there will be no one to ask, “What were they thinking?”
Works Cited
Lights, Zion. "What's the Problem with Plastic Bottles?" One Green Planet. One Green Planet, 8
May 2012. Web. 12 Nov. 2015.