Environmental Health Factors & Bottled Water

Parry Gallion, M.P.H., StudentWalden University

PH 6165-7Dr. Rebecca Heick

Spring Quarter, 2009

Bottled Water = GARBAGE☼ Produces 1.5 million tons of plastic waste annually.

☼ 47 million gallons of oil are used annually.

☼ 60 million bottles of water are produced, transported, and disposed of everyday

☼ Over 80% of plastic bottles are thrown away

Environmental Damage☼ Bottles are a petroleum product ◦ 1.5 million barrels of oil

☼ Hauled thousands of miles

☼ Increased water extraction leads to water shortages for farmers and consumers

☼ Millions of gallons are used in plastic making process

☼ 2 gallons are wasted for every gallon that is bottled

Thirsty for a 20 oz.?☼ Sold alongside sodas for the same price

☼ 90% of the cost is in the bottle, lid, & label

☼ Filtered tap water

☼ Most municipal water costs less than per gallon

Where Does it Come From?☼ FDA requires bottled water to be only as good not better than the tap!

☼ Artesian Well Water

☼ Mineral Water

☼ Spring Water

☼ Well Water

☼ No way to know the actual quality of bottled water

Water Quality☼ Test result of tap water are provided each year to consumers.

☼ Bottled water industry does not disclose any results from contaminant testing.

☼ EWG found 10 brands of bottled water purchased from 9 states and Washington D.C. to contain 38 pollutants with roughly 8 per brand of water.

☼ Walmart and Giant brands were chemically indistinguishable from tap water

☼ About ¼ of bottled water is bottled tap water!

Water Quality☼ 60-70% of bottled water sold in the US is exempt from FDA bottled water standards

☼ FDA has exempts for seltzer and carbonated water

☼ FDA and state bottled water programs are underfunded Bottled water low priority Fewer than 1 staff person to develop and issue rules

Fewer than 1 FDA staffer assuring compliance

☼ FDA’s regulations are less stringent than those seen in other countries

Bottled Water Regulations

☼ FDA regulates bottled water

☼ Microbiological content testing is only required once a week

☼ Disinfection not required

☼ Confirmed E. Coli and Fecal Cloiform not banned

☼ Filtering to remove pathogens or have strictly protected source is not required

☼ Annual testing required for most synthetic chemicals

☼ Operators don’t require certification

☼ Not required to use certified labs for testing

Bottled Water Regulations

☼ Not required to test for or meet standards for asbestos and phthalate

☼ Not required to test for Cryptosporidium

☼ Not required to report violations to State or Federal Government

☼ Consumer right to know does not apply!

or Giardia

Tap Water: Is It Safe?☼ Water filters = the BEST and HEALTHIEST solution to bottled water and tap water.

Best form of purification Designed to work with municipal water Not subject to phthalate contamination Removes Cryptosporidium No use of excess energy

Treatment & Purification☼ Filtration is the premier method of water purification

☼ Removes more water contaminants more efficiently than any other technique.

☼ Process: ◦ Water flows over filter media ◦ Media blocks contaminant by : obstruction, absorption, or both. ◦ Media is made from carbon ◦ Adsorption encourages contaminants to break bond with water molecules and adhere to the filter media ◦ Water passes through slowly ◦ Emerges pure and free from contamination

☼ Pros: ◦ No limit to type or size or contaminant removed ◦ Retains healthy trace minerals in water ◦ Removes chlorine, its byproducts, and VOC’s, giardia, and cryptosporidium ◦ Little waste water

☼ Cons: ◦ Granular filters don’t utilize chemical absorption

Treatment & Purification

☼ Reverse Osmosis first arose as a technique of desalinating seawater.

☼ Home installation began in 1970’s

☼ The Process: ◦ Pressurized water forced through semi-permeable membrane ◦ Water is forced to move from stronger saline solution to a weaker saline solution ◦ Membrane blocks the passage of salt ◦ Will remove other contaminants of select size.

☼ Pros: ◦ Mineral free water◦ Less wasteful than distillation

☼ Cons: ◦ VOC’s remain ◦ Acidic Water ◦ 3 gallons of water used for every 1 pure gallon

Treatment & Purification

☼ Distillation has been used for millennia

☼ Method of producing whiskey and vodka

☼ Currently used in labs and printing industries

☼ Process: ◦ Heat source vaporizes water ◦ Separate pure molecules from contaminants with higher boiling point than water ◦ Evaporated water captured and guided through tubes to container ◦ Removal from heat causes steam to condense back into original form

☼ Pros: ◦ Removes most minerals, bacteria, viruses ◦ Mineral free water☼ Cons: ◦ VOC’s remain ◦ Acidic water ◦ 5 treated gallons produce 1 gallon of purified water

How Safe Is Plastic?

☼ Lexan polycarbonate resin can leach bisphenol-A (BPA) – a hormone disrupter. ◦ leached into water from normal wear and tear, heat, and cleaning agents ◦ can leach at room temperature ☼ How to avoid BPA exposure: ◦ Switch to bottles that are stainless steel inside and out

◦ Purchas or reuse glass containers

How do I keep it clean?☼ Warm water ☼ Biodegradable dish soap☼ Wipe mouth piece & lids☼ Dry completely before refill

☼ Any bottle constantly filled with liquid can lead to bacteria & potential illness

Solid Block Carbon Filters

☼ Compressing very fine pulverized activated carbon with a binding medium and fusing into a solid block

☼ Eliminate channeling

☼ Density prevents bacterial growth

☼ Water is forced through the carbon block pores: ◦ Mechanical Filtration ◦ Electrokenetic Adsorption ◦ Physical & Chemical Adsorption

☼ Healthy, naturally occurring minerals remain

☼ No electricity required

Recycling on Fort Irwin, CA

☼ Fort Irwin’s recycling rate is 25% compared to California’s 60%

☼ Plastic water bottles are recyclable on Post

☼ Funds from the sale of recyclables refund the recycling program with a large remaining portion given to FMWR

☼ In 2008 $650,000 was given to FMWR to build a new skate park and renovate the Paws ‘n Claws kennel

☼ Fort Irwin wants to increase the recycling rate to 40% in the next 12-18 months

☼ 2009 goal is for FMWR to receive $1,000,000 in funding from recyclables

☼ Everyone needs to do their part!

What Have We Learned?

☼ Bottled water becomes garbage~ 80% of bottled water goes into landfills

☼ The manufacturing, transportation, and sale of bottled water leaves a huge environmental foot print

☼ It’s just filtered tap water

☼ No way to know the actual quality of bottled water

☼ Water filters = the BEST and HEALTHIEST solution to bottled water and tap water.

☼ Alternatives to plastic bottles

Responsibility If you choose to drink bottled water just remember:

☼ RECYCLE, RECYCLE, RECYCLE!

☼ Your decision to recycle not only reduces waste, but increases activities and enhances the overall quality of life on Post!

ReferencesAll About Water. Org. (2009). “Water Treatment Alternatives”. Retrieved on April 7, 2009

from: http://www.allaboutwater.org/compare.htmlAlphaOmega Marketing. (2009). “Drinking Water Systems, The Solid Block Carbon Filter

and its Advantages”. Retrieved on April 12, 2009 from: http://www.aomega.com/mpure/carbon.htmBaskind, C. (2008). “5 Reasons Not to Drink Bottled Water”. Lighter Footstep. Retrieved

on April 6, 2009 from: http://lighterfootstep.com/2008/05/five-reasons-not-to-drink-bottled-water/Bottled Water Blues. (2008). “About Us”. Retrieved on April 6. 2009 from: http://www.bottledwaterblues.com/bottled_water_facts.cfmBullers, A.C. (3003). “Bottled Water: Better than the Tap?”. FDA Consumer Magazine; July-

August. Retrieved on April 6, 2009 from: http://www.fda.gov/FDAC/features/2002/402_h2o.htmlCare 2. (2009). “Carbon Water Filtration”. Healthy and Green Living. Retrieved on April 12,

2009 from: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/carbon-water-filtration.html#Fort Irwin Recycling. (2009). “Fort Irwin’s Recycling Program”. Retrieved on April 13, 2009

from: http://www.irwin.army.mil/Post/Environment/Recycling/Pages/RecyclingHome.aspx

ReferencesGreenfeet. (2009). “Are Plastic Water Bottles Safe?” Retrieved on April 12, 2009

from: http://www.greenfeet.net/newsletter/The-dangers-of-plastic-water-bottles.shtml

HubPages. (2009). “Bottled Water has High Environmental Costs”. Retrieved on April 6, 2009 from: http://hubpages.com/hub/Bottled_water_has_High_Environmental_Costs

Maidenko, O. Leiba, N., Sharp, R. Houlihan, J. (2008). “Bottled Water Quality Investigation : 10 Major Brands, 38 Pollutants”. Environmental Working Group. Retrieved on April 6, 2009 from: http://www.ewg.org/reports/bottledwater

Natural Resources Defense Council NRDC. (1999). “Bottled Water Pure Drink or Pure Hype?”. Issues: Water. Retrieved on April 6, 2009 from: http://www.nrdc.org/water/drinking/bw/exesum.asp

Natural Resources Defense Council NRDC. (2009). “Table 1: Key Differences Between EPA Tap Water and FDA Bottled Water Rules”. Retrieved on April 13, 2009 from: http://www.nrdc.org/water/drinking/bw/table1.html

Treehugger. (2009). “A World of Reasons to Ditch Bottled Water”. Retrieved on April 12, 2009 from: http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/07/reasons_to_ditch_bottled_water.php

Thank You!

Questions or Comments?

Parry Gallionparry.gallion@waldenu.edu