Many people choose bottled water in different countries because for some of them it’s a daily habit and others think it is healthier or cleaner. However, an expert called Matteo Bassetti, who is an infectious disease specialist at the San Martino Hospital in Genoa (Italy), has warned about the risks of consuming water bottled in plastic bottles too frequently. The expert’s concern is not about the liquid itself, it’s about the plastic packaging. So, let’s learn more about what the expert says.
Microplastics in water bottle
Bassetti explained that when we drink water in plastic bottles, small plastic particles (microplastics) could reach our organism. These particles are tiny and they can’t be seen at first sight, but they are there. The expert pointed out that, according to some studies, someone can consume in a week the amount of microplastics equal to the size and the weight of a credit card. This comparison is used only to let people understand how much could enter our bodies, although we can’t see or feel the particles.
Water bottle is not that different to tap one
The expert also mentioned something that could surprise many people: in 64% of the cases, the water found in plastic bottles is the same that comes out of taps at homes. The difference then? The bottled water may pass through a simple filter that makes the taste a little smoother, so many people are paying money for water they could already drink at home for free.
How long the water stays in the plastic bottle
The main concern is how long the liquid stays in the plastic bottle. Bassetti explained that bottled water can stay between 1 and 5 years in the bottle before reaching the people who buy them. During this period, mostly in bottles exposed to the sun or heat, the plastic can heat and break down a little. When this happens, the plastic particles go to the liquid.
Most of the time, bottles are stored in warehouses, outdoor storage areas, and delivery trucks, where they may sit in the heat. When the plastic heats up, the process of releasing microplastics into the water happens more easily. Then, when people drink the bottle, they may swallow these particles without knowing it.
Possible health consequences
Bassetti warned that these particles that enter our bodies can provoke inflammation, it’s not about an immediate effect but something that happens throughout time. If the body is continuously being exposed to these particles, inflammation can become chronic, it will be long-lasting.
The expert doesn’t confirm that just one bottle causes a serious problem, he highlights that the constant exposure (day after day, for years) could have negative effects in the future.
Basically
Understanding where our water comes from and how it is stored can help protect our health. The expert, Matteo Bassetti, reminds us that bottled water often spends a long time in plastic containers, and during that time, tiny pieces of plastic can enter the water without us realizing it. If we drink this every day, our bodies may take in many microplastics over time, which could lead to slow, long-lasting inflammation inside the body.
By choosing drinking from the tap when possible, and selecting glass bottles instead of plastic when we do buy bottled water, does not mean spending more money or learning anything complicated. It is simply about being aware and making small choices that support our long-term well-being.
A small decision today can make a big difference for our health in the future. So, would you start choosing glass over plastic more often after what you know now?