Plastic water bottles get a bad rap, and rightfully so. They are criticised for the contents in them and the packaging. But why are these containers so bad for our environment and our health?

Harmful Chemicals in the Plastic

This is one of the biggest downfalls of plastic bottles. Studies have shown that polycarbonate plastic slowly releases a chemical known as bisphenol-A (BPA) into liquids stored in plastic bottles. The chemical compounds that are released by such chemicals have a myriad of harmful health effects, including altering our hormones.

Creating Trash That Doesn’t Decompose

While plastic drinking bottles may be recyclable, most tend to end up as litter. It has been noted that billions of bottles per year are trashed in the U.S. alone. When you throw away your plastic drinking bottle, it can sit in a landfill for hundreds of years, never decomposing.

What’s more, the growing piles of plastic waste threaten our natural areas and wildlife, rendering our environment less attractive and less healthy.

Another point to consider is that cleaning up all that litter costs taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars every year.

What Are the Alternatives?

If you tend to be on the go a lot, carry a reusable metal bottle with you and make use of filtered water coolers and drinking fountains. Metal tends to be much safer than plastic and these bottles can be filled and refilled without leaching chemicals into your drinking water. Many people argue that they don’t like the taste of tap water, that’s why filtered water coolers remove the bad-tasting chemicals, providing fresh, chilled water. You could also make use of public drinking fountains.

Whether you use water coolers in Sydney in your home, office, university, or any other public space, they are well worth the investment compared to buying bottled water as your main source of drinking water.

Talk to Aquafil today about filtered water coolers and drinking fountains.