1. BOTTLED WATER: YOUR HEALTH AND THE HEALTH OF THE ENVIRONMENT
Andrew Kucharski, Ph.D. student
Walden University
PUBH
Instructor: Dr. Raymond Thron
Spring, 2009
Bottled Water: Your Health and the Health of the Environment

2. LEARNING GOALS
The growing market for bottled water in the United States
Understand the impact of empty water bottles on the environment
Understand the U.S. regulations in place to ensure safe drinking water
Explain the quality characteristics of bottled vs. tap water
Explain some of the health concerns related to plastic containers
The goal of this presentation is to present information regarding the impact of bottled water relative to both water quality as well as impact on the environment.
At the end of this session, you should be able to discuss the increasing demand for bottled water, describe the environmental impact of refuse of plastic bottles from bottled water, understand how water quality and safety are monitored in the United States, explain the quality characteristics of both bottled and municipal water and discuss some of the health concerns related to water stored in plastic containers.

3. BOTTLED WATER: THE EVER GROWING MARKET
Health concerns such as decreasing the consumption of sugar based drinks
Concerns over the safety of municipal water supply
The United States leads the world in bottled water consumption
(Franklin, 2006)
Due to increasing concerns of the amount of sugar in one’s diet, there has been increasing demand for bottled water as a substitute for sugar based drinks.
Additionally, people have become increasingly concerned over the safety, quality and taste of their municipal supply. Although these concerns are often not substantiated on fact.
This presentation will consider aspects of the safety and quality of both bottled and municipal water as well as look at the differences in environmental impact between the two.

4. BOTTLED WATER: THE EVER GROWING MARKET
According to the Beverage Marketing Corporation, The United States leads the world in bottled water consumption
26 billion liters (2004)
Globally, worldwide consumption increased 57% in five years, reaching 154 billion liters in 2004
(Franklin, 2006)
Consumption of bottled water continues to rise, around the world.
The United States is the world’s largest consumer of bottled water in total consumption, followed by Mexico, China, Brazil, Italy and Germany. It’s important to note, that while the US is the largest consumer in total consumption, it is not the largest consumer measured per capita.
In 2004, the US consumed approximately one-sixth of all bottled water globally, accounting for 26 billion liters of a global consumption of 154 billion liters.

5. BOTTLED WATER: THE EVER GROWING MARKET
Nearly 31 billion bottles of water were purchased in 2006
In New York, nearly 2.5 billion bottles of water a year are sold each year
This many bottles, stacked end to end, would reach the moon
(New York State, n.d.)
States are also considering the growing impact of bottled water on the local environment.
The Department of Environmental Conservation in the State of New York has published literature on this subject.

6. BOTTLED WATER: THE EVER GROWING MARKET
In California, this growing market results in more than 1 billion water bottles ending up in the trash each year
This means that approximately 3 million empty bottles are being disposed of each day
(State of California, 2003)
States are also considering the growing impact of bottled water on the local environment.
The State of California has also taken a focused look at this problem and it trying to raise awareness of the issue.

7. BOTTLED WATER: ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
The State of New York estimates making the amount of plastic needed for bottled water releases more than 800,000 metric tons of greenhouse gasses
This amount of oil is equal to 66 million gallons of gasoline
(New York State, n.d.)
From an environmental standpoint, just recycling the water bottles thrown away in the State of New York, could case an estimated 67,000 metric tons of greenhouse gases.
Additionally, the oil used, in terms of gasoline equivalents, is enough to power 120,000 automobiles for one year.

8. BOTTLED WATER: ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
A plastic water bottle takes up to 1,000 years to decompose in a landfill
In terms of manufacturing, it takes 3 liters of water to produce 1 liter of bottled water
(The Sierra Club, 2008).
Many people are not aware of just how durable plastic products are once placed in a landfill. If plastic water bottles end up in the oceans, they can harm wildlife as well as pollute beaches.
Additionally, many people are not aware of the manufacturing needs of producing bottle water and the overall efficiency lost in brining 1 liter of bottled water to market.

9. BOTTLED WATER VS. TAP WATER
Bottled water and tap water are regulated by two different agencies
The US Food and Drug Administration considers bottled water to be a food and thus regulates this industry
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates tap water
Many people do not know that bottle and tap water are regulated by two different government agencies. Resources are available on the web site of each agency discussing how they regulate the supply under their jurisdiction.
The term “tap water” is the same as municipal water, or public drinking water. Basically, public water available from municipal services.

10. BOTTLED WATER REGULATIONS
Regulations for bottled water are listed in Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations
21 CFR Part 129
21 CFR Section
(FDA, 2002).
Part 129 of Title 21 CFR require bottled water to be safe, and that it is processed, bottled, held and transported in a sanitary manner.
Section of Title 21 CFR establishes a standard of indentity and a standard of quality. In terms of identify, the FDA describes bottled water as water that is “intended for human consumption and that is sealed in bottles or other containers with no added ingredients except that it may contain safe and suitable antimicrobial agents. Fluoride may also be added within the limits set by the FDA.”
Section of Title 21 CFR has also defined various types of bottled water. These include “artesian water”, “artesian well water”, “ground water”, “mineral water”, “purified water”, “sparkling bottled water” and “spring water”. Legal definitions of each of these is provided in the CFR.

11. BOTTLED WATER REGULATIONS
Some bottled water is not regulated by the FDA
Bottled water which does not cross-state lines for sale or consumption does not fall under the regulations of the FDA
If bottled water is produced in one state and sold in that state, it does not fall under the regulations as defined by the FDA. Bottled water that does not cross state borders for commerce or sale, and is sold in the state in which it is bottled falls under state regulation.
All states have regulations in place for this. Most state regulations meet or exceed FDA regulations.

12. TAP WATER REGULATIONS
The US EPA regulates the safety of tap water from municipal supplies as well as private wells that serve more than 25 people
The regulations for safe tap water stem from The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) passed by Congress in 1974
(EPA, 2006)
The Safe Drinking Water Act was originally passed by Congress in It has been amended in 1986 and 1996 and ensure both safe drinking water and its sources, such as rivers, lakes, reservoirs, springs and ground water wells.
By law, each supplier of municipal water must provide an annual report to its customers. This report includes information on local drinking water quality, contaminants found in the water and the source of the water. The EPA suggests that an interested citizen contact their water supplier directly for further information.

13. TAP WATER REGULATIONS
These regulations have led to the United States having one of the safest water supplies in the world
(EPA, 2006)
The Safe Drinking Water Act was originally passed by Congress in It has been amended in 1986 and 1996 and ensure both safe drinking water and its sources, such as rivers, lakes, reservoirs, springs and ground water wells.
By law, each supplier of municipal water must provide an annual report to its customers. This report includes information on local drinking water quality, contaminants found in the water and the source of the water. The EPA suggests that an interested citizen contact their water supplier directly for further information.

14. BOTTLED VS. TAP
Bottled water is becoming increasingly popular for a variety of reasons, including:
Taste, color, odor from tap water
Convenience
Diet
Perceived health benefits
Influence from marketing
(EPA, 2006)
While municipal drinking water is safe, people are choosing bottled water for a variety of reasons.
One of the reasons is due to the taste, color, and odor variations in tap water. Municipal water supplies must disinfect the supply and use a variety of means to do so. One common way is through chlorination. This ensures the safety of the water supply but it also may leave a residual taste that some find unpleasant.

15. BOTTLED VS. TAP There are potential risks to drinking bottled water
Bisphenol A or BPA is a manmade chemical that is used in the production of many plastic-containing consumer products, including bottles used for bottled water
Trace amounts of residual BPA are often present in the final product as a result of the manufacturing process.
(Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 2008)
It is important to point out the debate regarding the exposure to plastic when drinking bottled water. There is concern about contaminant in plastic products and ingesting these contaminants. One of the main contaminants is BPA, which leaches into the water held in the bottle. Exposure to heat increases potential for leaching into the water in the bottle.

16. BOTTLED VS. TAP
Most single-use water bottles sold in the US are made from BPA-free plastic
Some reusable containers are made from plastic containing BP. Reusable containers are often used for sport and outdoor activities such as camping and hiking, or for travel
A product absent of BPA should be considered
(Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 2008)
It is important to point out the debate regarding the exposure to plastic when drinking bottled water. There is concern about contaminant in plastic products and ingesting these contaminants. One of the main contaminants is BPA, which leaches into the water held in the bottle. Exposure to heat increases potential for leaching into the water in the bottle.

17. BOTTLED VS. TAP People choose bottle or tap for a variety of reasons
Bottled water places a larger environmental impact on our society than tap water
The amount of energy needed to make one bottle of water is roughly equivalent to ¼ of that volume in oil (Sierra Club, 2008)
The choice to drink bottled or tap water is a personal choice based on a number of personal considerations. These include perceived safety and nutritional and health benefits, taste preferences, access to cool and refreshing supply of water.
However there is increasing awareness about the environmental health impact of the manufacture, distribution, and waste generated from bottled water.
Although convenient, bottled water is not necessarily safer than municipal water. Thus individuals are now beginning to consider not only the taste and health aspects of bottled water, but the environmental impact of bottled water as well.

18. BOTTLED VS. TAP
Both bottled and tap water are safe, however, bottled water ends up costing the consumer 500 to 4,000 times more than tap water
(Sierra Club, 2008)
From a cost standpoint, bottled water is significantly more expensive that tap water.

19. BOTTLED VS. TAP
There is increasing concern the impact bottled water has on environmental justice
Arguments are being raised that water is not a private commodity, instead it is a basic human right
Boycotts of beverage companies have been organized to protest corporate access to municipal supplies
(Sierra Club, 2008)
Environmental justice is increasingly being considered when comparing bottled water supplies to tap water supplies.
Many large corporations have taken over smaller local springs around the world, thus limiting local access to local water.
There has been a large boycott effort in India, targeting Coca-Cola Corporation for this very reason. The campaign is called “Boycott Coke”.

20. BOTTLED VS. TAP The decision to drink bottled vs tap is personal
There are a variety of factors to consider including
Personal taste and preference
Environmental factors
Social and environmental justice
This presentation was developed to increase knowledge of the environmental and health factors surrounding bottled water as it compares to municipal water. It is hoped that a review of these slides will provide the reader with some basic information to begin to weigh the choice between bottled or tap water from a more informed position.

21. REFERENCES
Environmental Protection Agency, (2006, November 28). Ground water and drinking water. Retrieved April 20, 2009 from
Food and Drug Administration, (2002, October 28). Bottled water regulation and the FDA. Retrieved April 11, 2009 from
Franklin, P. (2006). Down the drain: Plastic water bottles should no longer be a wasted resource. Waste Management World, May – June, 2006,

22. REFERENCES
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, (2008, June 23). Q&A: Bisphenol A and plastics. Retrieved April 17, 2009 from
New York State, Department of Environmental Conservation. (n.d.). Too many bottles – it’s a waste. Retrieved April 15, 2009 from
The Sierra Club, (2008, April). Bottled water: Learning the facts and taking action. Retrieved April 1, 2009 from
State of California, Department of Conservation. (2003, May 29). Report: Surge in bottled water popularity threatens environment. Retrieved April 10, 2008 from