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Important stats about using bottled water

When deciding whether to drink a bottle of tap water or bottled water. what factors should you consider and which option is best for you? This analysis can help you decide.

The history of bottled water

Bottled water has been sold since at least the 1850s, but it has never been more popular than it is today. In fact, it is estimated that 1.3 billion plastic bottles are used daily worldwide. Which is about 1 million bottles per minute. With so many plastic bottles being used every day, we wanted to dive deep into this topic. We collected information about the environmental impacts of plastic water bottles on the environment.

Water Bottle Environmental Pollution Statistics

It’s no secret that plastic water bottles lead to major environmental concerns about sustainability and dangers to our oceans. Here are some water bottle pollution stats you should be aware of:

  • Every day, people throw away more than 60 million plastic water bottles.
  • Plastic water bottles take 450 years to decompose.
  • 80% of the plastic water bottles people buy end up in landfills.
  • It takes three times the volume of water it takes to make one water bottle to fill it.
  • One study found that 15% of people only drink bottled water, compared to 12% of those who said why drink only tap or filtered water.
  • Bottled water costs $1.11 per gallon, while tap water costs less than half a penny per gallon.
  • Since 2010, annual consumption of bottled water has grown nearly 40% in the United States, reaching 44 gallons per capita in 2019.
  • The bottling industry to meet Americans’ demand for bottled water requires more than 17 million barrels of oil annually, enough to fuel more than 1 million American cars for a year.
  • There are about 244,000 metric tons of plastic floating in our oceans.
  • Only 23% of single-use plastic bottles are recycled.
  • It is estimated that the world’s oceans will contain more plastic than fish by 2050.
  • There are more than two million tons of discarded water bottles in landfills around the world.
  • The average citizen uses 167 bottles annually, but only recycles 38 bottles.
  • Drinking the recommended 8 glasses of water per day costs about $0.49 per year from the tap, while it costs $1,400 from bottled water.

To learn more about bottled water facts, read this article.

Frequent use of water bottles

In an effort to reduce their carbon footprint, some people are reusing disposable plastic water bottles. However, single-use water bottles have an additional risk of chemicals and plastic particles getting into the water inside them when they start to deteriorate as a result of repeated use. One study by the World Health Organization found microplastics in more than 90% of samples taken from 259 packaging brands worldwide. In one bottle tested, the concentrations were as high as 10,000 plastics per liter of water.

Besides these concerns, single-use plastic bottles are nearly impossible to clean properly. Which makes them a breeding ground for bacteria, making them more dangerous than reusing them. Over time, small cracks can develop in reusable bottles that allow bacteria and fungi to grow. This may not be noticeable to the naked eye, but it can have a devastating effect on your health.

How purchases of bottled water have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. and who buys reusable water bottles as an eco-friendly alternative.

In general, though, bottled water is the most trusted source. It’s important to realize that the Food and Drug Administration does not require bottled water companies to disclose where the water comes from, how it is treated, or what contaminants it contains. This is in stark contrast to the water you get from your tap, which is often highly regulated and tested. Depending on the brand, it’s possible that bottled water may contain more contaminants than tap water. For example, a study by the Environmental Working Group. Found 38 pollutants that exceeded legal limits in water bottles from 10 major brands. If you are currently using bottled water due to its perceived health benefits. You may be better off relying on tap water. For added safety, you can use a water filter to remove any contaminants that your local treatment facility might not miss.

Stop using disposable bottles

Now that you have a lot of information. We hope you have come to the conclusion that single-use bottled water is not the best choice for your health or the environment.

Instead, we recommend using a water filter at home and bringing a reusable bottle on the go. Water Care has a wide range of water treatment solutions including whole home filters to suit your needs. Contact us for more information!


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