Today, the transparent plastic bottle is an integral part of everyday life. It is used to store water, drink from it, and even make our kids use it at school. Have you ever seen a child carrying a metal water bottle to school in the past? I don't remember and you won't either. Water bottles are now available in plastics in the shapes of your child's favorite cartoon characters, which increases the brand value.
Natural scientists and environmentalists occasionally tell us that plastics are a threat to the eco-system of our planet. We hear and forget about it. This routine is unlikely to be repeated. Plastic bottles are being attacked by experts and environmental scientists from around the globe who claim they pose a health risk. The scientists say they have experimental data that proves their charges are true, and this may make the charges stick.
Plastic Bottles-a Health Hazard: Fact or Fiction
How can plastic bottles be harmful to our health if we use them as containers? We only ingest the liquid contained in the bottles, not the plastic. These seem to be logical questions people ask. The answer to this question will be more of a roundabout than a straight answer. Turn the bottle around. Plastic bottles, and all plastic items, must have a triangular shape embossed on their surface. This is made up of three straight lines that do not join at the edges. This small number is typically found on the bottom of the container or bottle, but it could be anywhere. These numbers indicate the type of plastic used to make the bottles. The most popular bottle material is PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate). Below that, we have PVC (Polyvinyl chloride), LDPE (Low Density Polyethylene) at #2 and so on up to #7. The plastic is less recyclable the higher it is.
Plastic is synthetically made and not natural. compound. Chemists mix different organic compounds at different conditions to create different grades of plastic. SPM's (special purpose machines) then make plastic bottles from this product. Plastic bottles are not biodegradable so they are often recycled. Plastic bottles that are recycled a lot lose some of their bonding power and suffer from wear and tear at micro levels. This can cause tiny cracks in plastic bottles, which in turn can lead the leaching of BPA (Biphenyl A). BPA can alter hormones and cause cardiac problems. It can also act as a carcinogenic agent. A compound known as DEP, which has been linked to cancer, can be leaked at #4 and #3. The #7 position in the category OTHERS is the last. This does not allow for recycling.
Conflict of interest
The plastic Bottle Grinder Machine industry and environmentalists have been engaged in a constant war of words. Plastic Industry discredited the initial reports of the Biphenyl-A fallout as they were based on research by a University of Idaho student. This research was not checked by experts and was discredited in the eyes of peers. Even the FDA believed that Bi Phenyl A's alleged adverse effects were unsupported by scientific evidence. The environmentalist groups discovered hidden energy resources after Health Canada banned PET use in infant bottles. FDA, the all-powerful drug regulatory agency in the US, now states that it is concerned about Biphenyl's effects on children and foetuses.
What are we to do? Do we need to use plastic bottles like the plastic industry suggests? It is not, evidently. There are replacements, such as aluminum and stainless steel. We also have glass.
What can we do now?
My humble opinion is that plastic bottles should be avoided to the greatest extent possible, even though they have a myth content of 99% and truth content of 1%. Surely, the future deserves better. This irony is even more apparent when you consider a child carrying his water to school in plastic bottles. Water, the giver of life, is poisoned. It's a sad irony. You can add to that the innocence of the youth and you'll be joining me in saying no to plastic bottles. Don't get me wrong. I am as lazy as Mr. Dagwood Bumstead. However, a little effort, even grudgingly, today can help preserve this planet for our children, grandchildren, and future generations.