Plastic is a part of everyday life for most people. It can be found in everything from food packaging and cosmetics to toys. When you guzzle bottled water, you may be getting more than H2O. On the heels of a recent study that found 93 percent of bottled water contained signs of contamination with microplastics, concerns are being raised that micro-sized particles of plastic small enough to be ingested are leeching into bottled water. The study examined 259 water bottles from 27 lots across 11 brands, purchased from 19 locations in nine countries, and was conducted by the State University of New York and Orb Media, a nonprofit, US based journalism organization.
If that sounds scary, it is. Microplastics are tiny bits of platic resulting from the breakdown of plastic materials in landfills and oceans. In fact, levels of microplastics were almost double what was found in tap water tested from various countries. The results were worrisome enough to spark a new review by the World Health Organization (WHO).
However, it’s not just bottled water that health experts are worried about. A number of industrial and consumer products made of plastic contain Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs), which can negatively impact human health. “So many of our plastic products that come in contact with food and beverages are made with endocrine-disrupting chemicals that leech into the environment and end up in our bodies in measurable quantities,” stated Nancy Wayne, PhD, a professor of physiology and reproductive endocrinologist at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California at Los Angeles.
EDCs are chemicals found in a number of everyday products that can interfere with hormones. In recent years, public interest surrounding the possibility of health threats due to EDCs has risen. Despite this, there’s yet to be a coordinated approach in the United States to regulating EDCs. EDCs are used in the manufacturing of many plastics and other products. Even in low doses, they can lead to a number of abnormalities in the body.
“Bisphenol A or BPA is detected in over 90 percent of urine samples from thousands of humans tested. That means that it is in high enough amounts in blood that it spills into our urine prior to being fully metabolized. Animal studies show that low amounts of BPA, below that which the [Food and Drug Administration (FDA)] says is safe, leads to a host of abnormalities,” Wayne said. Low doses of BPA can alter cellular function and activate genes that promote growth of cancers, particularly breast cancer. “Higher level of exposure to BPA in humans is associated with a host of health problems, including higher body fat in children, increased risk of miscarriages and premature birth, and increased incidence of prostate cancer. And that’s just one of many chemicals. Add in all the other endocrine-disrupting chemicals and toxins we are exposed to, and we have a big problem that is impacting everyone, no matter who you are, where you live, or what your socioeconomic status is,” she said.
A recent study by the Endocrine Society found that the impact of EDCs could extend beyond more than one generation by contributing to a significant drop in sperm count and sperm quality. Male mice exposed to DEHP prenatally had less testosterone in their blood and a lower sperm count. As a result, they lost fertility at a time when they should have been fertile. Researchers said this suggests prenatal exposure to DEHP can impact both fertility and reproductive capacity of more than one generation.
Wayne adds that although we may be years away from knowing the full extent of the impact of EDCs on human health, it’s not too early to act. “We are at the beginning of understanding. And what we know from well-designed, well-executed studies is pretty frightening. We should do more to limit exposure to EDCs, including limiting the use of plastics in food and beverage packaging because of its impact on the health of the first generation exposed, let alone future generations — which will inevitably be directly exposed if nothing is done,” she said.
Because there are no definitive studies on the impact of microplastics on human health, there are currently no standards for safe limits of microplastics in bottled water. You can play it safe and opt out of the plastic bottled water s by using refillable bottles filled with your own tap water.
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