More and more of us realise the harm caused by plastic bottle waste.
The Facts
According to tapwater.org, over 18 BILLION (yes billion) plastic bottles are purchased in the UK each year.
- Only 25% are recycled.
- 38,000 bottles are put into landfill EVERY DAY.
In America, 50 billion plastic bottles are purchased each year.
- 40% are recycled.
- 30 billion bottles are thrown away, again ending up in landfill.
The Human Risk
As well as the risk to the environment, there is also the human risk from drinking from plastic bottles:
- Many contain BPA (Bisphenol A), which is an industrial chemical.
Drinking small amounts are not toxic, but plastic bottle waste can
cause this to build up, infecting the water supply.
- As well as BPA, some plastic bottles are made of PET
(polyethylene terephthalate), which can negatively affect the human
body, causing hormonal imbalances.
Solutions
So how can we reduce the number of plastic bottles we are using, when
so much of what we now purchase is in plastic bottles – water, shampoo,
milk, washing up liquid, fabric softener, squash, ketchup and other
condiments, jam even?
There are the obvious answers –
- Stop buying plastic bottles for water – use a refillable bottle instead (one without BPA or PET).
- If you don’t want to drink straight tap water, get a home water filter.
But what about other products, such as shampoo and shower gel? There are other alternatives –
- What about soap instead of shower gel?
- What about shampoo bars instead of a bottle of shampoo? The bars may seem more expensive but actually tend to last a lot longer.
- Buy ketchup or condiments in glass bottles rather than squeezy jars.
It may not be possible to reduce your plastic bottle consumption to zero, but give it a go - it is good for you AND the environment.