According to studies, bottled water becomes unfit for drinking after being overheated or exposed to direct sunshine because water readily dissolves the tiny microplastic particles found in plastic bottles. Long-term consumption of this type of water might result in health-related issues such as infertility, hormonal imbalance, early puberty and liver-related issues.
To make plastic bottles flexible industrial chemicals such as ‘Phthalates’ and ‘Bisphenol-A’ (BPA) are added according to a report by ‘Harvard School of Public Health’. The report said, “Exposure to BPA before birth is linked to behavioural and emotional difficulties in young girls. People with high urine levels of BPA are also more likely to have heart disease or diabetes,”
Presently, BPA is one of the most significant environmental concerns worldwide, causing plastic-based pollution. The founder of Vedamrit, Dr Vaishali Shukla, said, “When a plastic water bottle comes in contact with heat, it releases micro plastics in the water, which further make their way into your body once you drink that water. These micro plastics cause various problems for the human body, including hormone imbalance, infertility and even hamper liver health”.
While explaining the ill effects of plastic bottles, the HOD Radiology and Interventional Radiologist at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, Dr Vimal Someshwar, said that “plastic is a polymer made from carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and chloride. Among these, BPA is one of the most harmful chemicals used to make plastic water bottles, and the levels of it increase when the water is stored for a long period of time or at a higher temperature”.
According to Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, “India is generating 3.5 million tonnes of plastic waste annually and the per capita plastic waste generation has almost doubled over the last five years”. If we quantify it, the amount of plastic waste generated per person has virtually doubled over the past five years. This figure gives a reasonable estimation of how quickly plastic use is spreading throughout society and how difficult it may be for the nation to deal with in the future.
While speaking at an event Union Minister said, “Plastic has become one of the most pressing environmental issues that we are facing today. Plastic pollution adversely affects our ecosystems and is also linked to air pollution”.
Eventually, as pollution spreads, even underground water is becoming unfit for human consumption. Water filter systems, commonly called RO, are fitted in every house for drinking pure water. In RO ((Reverse Osmosis) affects TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) level. TDS less than 100 mg indicates a lack of necessary minerals. The flavour of water changes when TDS is low, and things dissolve quickly. In plastic bottled water, TDS is even less because of which plastic particles dissolve faster.
So as a deterrent, people should drink water in metal or glass bottles to avoid intake microplastics unknowingly. As per the ‘American Cancer Society’, water kept in a copper vessel can prevent the onset of cancer. It helps reduce cholesterol and triglyceride levels. It even manages High Blood Pressure.
Copper has anti-microbial abilities and can kill a wide range of bacteria, viruses, and fungi.
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