1. Environmental Health and Bottled Water
Emily Cowan, MPH Student
Walden University
PUBH
Instructor: Robert Marino
My name is Emily Cowan, I am a MPH student at Walden University and I will be your presenter. This presentation is going to focus on the impact bottled water has on environmental health and sustainability. This presentation is aimed at reaching adult community members who want to know more about why bottled water is such a significant problem both locally and nationally. This educational slide presentation will discuss the important aspects of bottled water and its consequences for our environment and will hopefully motive individuals in this room to make changes in this community. Let’s begin by watching the trailer for this documentary on bottled water.
2/23/2019

2. Bottled Water and our Environment
Introduction:
The production, manufacturing, consumption, and disposal of plastic water bottles in the United States continue threaten the health of our natural environments.
The health factors surrounding bottled water are related to waste, regulation of plastic and water quality, and increased reliance on fossil fuels to produce and transport bottles from manufacturer to consumer.
Today we are going to discuss some of these factors that threaten our personal and environmental health.
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3. Bottled Water and our Environment
Objectives:
The purpose of this presentation is to increase your knowledge and awareness on the environmental risk factors associated with bottled water. Hopefully this presentation will motivate our community to decrease their water bottle consumption as well as to help inspire others to make similar positive changes to support our environment.
We will be discussing plastic disposable water bottles as it relates to landfill waste, exposure to plastics, water safety (regulations), and the links between bottled water and fossil fuels.
We will also discuss how to make changes to reduce the need for plastic bottles, in turn reducing the negative consequences associated with this product
If anyone has any questions along the way please let me know and I will do my best to answer them. If there is anything we need to come back to we will put it in the “parking lot” and together we can address the question. Ok, we are going to begin by talking about bottled water and waste.
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4. A truck dumps its load of plastic at a waste recycling facility in San Francisco Photograph: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
This image kind of puts perspective on how much plastic we consume and how bottled water contributes greatly to our waste
Bruno, L. (2008). Old idea of using bioplastics gets a new lease of life. Guardian.co.uk. Retrieved July 20, 2011 from
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5. Bottled Water and Waste
It’s solid landfill waste!
According to the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation:
90 percent of plastic water bottles used in the United States become garbage or litter.
Incinerating used bottles produces toxic byproducts such as chlorine gas and ash containing heavy metals.
Buried water bottles can take up to 1,000 years to biodegrade.
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Bureau of Waste Reduction & Recycling. (2011). Water bottle fact sheet too many bottles-it is a waste Albany, NY. Retrieved July 20, 2011 from
I am sure we have all heard the discussion about bottled water or plastic bottles, the importance of recycling, and how our landfills are covered in plastic bottles. Here are some facts related to this discussion put out by the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation. These are pretty significant numbers related to solid waste, cost, and energy waste.
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6. Bottled Water and Waste
It’s a waste of money!
According to the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (2011), “Bottled water costs as much as $10 per gallon-tap water costs less than one cent per gallon”.
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Bureau of Waste Reduction & Recycling. (2011). Water bottle fact sheet too many bottles-it is a waste Albany, NY. Retrieved July 20, 2011 from
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7. Bottled Water and Waste
It’s a waste of fossil fuels!
Crude oil is used in bottle production that contains polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Fossil fuels are also expended during manufacturing and transportation of bottled water.
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Bureau of Waste Reduction & Recycling. (2011). Water bottle fact sheet too many bottles-it is a waste Albany, NY. Retrieved July 20, 2011 from
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8. Bottled Water and Waste cont.
Discussion
The majority of plastic bottles used for water end up as garbage, which
contributes to landfill waste. Because bottled water containers are non-refundable, consumers are less likely to recycle or return used water containers.
The roughly 10 percent of plastic water bottles that do not end up in
landfills are potentially recycled or more accurately “down cycled”. This is an inefficient way of “recycling” the bottles into other products. These products are of lower quality and durability than the original product. So unlike the recycling of paper to produce more paper; plastic bottles are not being recycled to make more of the same which requires a great deal of energy not to mention cost!
Knowing that the majority of used bottles end up in landfills or are not sustainable sources for creating new bottles through recycling we can draw the conclusion that bottled water is posing a serious environmental health concern not only four our community but for the nation. Does anyone have any questions on waste?
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10. Bottled Water and Water Safety
What are the regulations on the safety of bottled drinking water?
According the United States Environmental Protection Agency (2011), “Bottled water may contain some contaminants. Contaminants in bottled water must be below the maximum permitted level set by the Food and Drug Administration or the state”. However, the FDA (a federal program) is only required to regulate the quality of the water if it is sold in a state that differs from its manufacturing state.
Other concerns related to regulation might include the privatization of the manufacturing industry that does not require disclosure to the public regarding issues such as where the water came from or what was in it!
United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2011). Bottled Water. Retrieved July 20, from
I am sure we have all heard discussions on the quality and safety of our communities drinking water. Perhaps some of you have switched to bottled water drinking as a way to avoid drinking “bad” water from municipalities or home wells. The EPA and the FDA both oversee the quality of our drinking water both bottled and not; the truth appears to be that bottled water is no better than tap water. In fact, most of your bottled water probably comes from a tap in Queens, NY!
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11. Bottled Water and Water Safety
How do these regulations deviate from municipal water regulations?
The Safe Drinking Water Act allows the EPA to closely regulate municipal water through regular and frequent lab testing. Bottled water manufacturers are not under the EPA’s jurisdiction and testing happens on a less frequent basis.
For more information on water regulations visit:
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12. Bottled Water and Plastic
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13. Bottled Water and Plastic
Concerns regarding the safety of the plastic that contains the water we drink bring up many questions for researchers as well as the public.
Most bottled water is derived from #1 plastic which is made from Polyethylene terephthalate (PET). PET has been found to disrupt the endocrine system causing hormone related illnesses including cancer and developmental disabilities.
More research is needed! It is unclear if the plastics used to bottle water are undisruptive and risk-free
New studies indicate that #1 PET plastic, “the type used in most single-use water bottles”, can be just as disruptive as the polycarbonate or BPA found in the #7 plastics (Raloff, 2009, para.2).
Raloff, J. (March 2009). Bottled water may contain ‘hormones’: Plastics. Science News Magazine. Washington, DC. Retrieved july 19, 2011 from
Bottled water plastics typically arrive in #1 plastic however, there are a few #7 out there. BPA is found in #7. The safety of the plastic is still being investigated. Concerns are related to chemicals leaching into the water we drink as the bottle breaks down either through re-use or heat. Much more research is needed on this topic.
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14. Bottled Water and Safety
Discussion
Although the Food and Drug Administration and to some degree the U.S. Environmental Protection agency, have jurisdiction to maintain the safety of the bottled water we drink; the regulations are not as intensive as the regulations the EPA requires for municipal water. Contaminants in bottled water have been found to be higher than contaminants in tap water. Quality control for bottled water is lacking as private manufactures don’t have to share information with the public. Other safety concerns are related to the plastic the water is contained in. Many researchers are uneasy about the safety of the plastics used for bottling and containing water. The question remains, do we continue to take the risk with our health and the health of our environment?
Does anyone have any questions about water safety or tap water? I believe what the research indicates is bottled water is no more safe than tap water and in fact, tap water is under more closely regulated control and management. This issue of plastic safety is still unclear but we do know there is a concern about it which may be enough to change our minds about buying bottled water? Any thoughts?
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15. Photos retrieved from www.treehugger.com
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16. Bottled water and Fossil Fuels
What is the link?
“The majority of energy or oil used for bottled water is in making the plastic bottles, followed by treating the water, filling and capping the bottles, and transporting the bottles to the homes or businesses that use them. Global sales of bottled water topped 200 billion liters in 2007, around 33 billion liters in the United States, averaging almost 30 gallons of water per person. Using those figures, it took an estimated 0.15 to 0.26 gallons of oil to make my gallon of bottled water”(Schauwecker, 2009, p.46).
The plastic used to make water bottles is made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) which is derived from crude oil. Fossil fuels are used in essentially every step of producing bottled water for the public to consume. This has a significant impact on our natural environments not to mention our reliance on foreign oil so that we can consume drinking water from a single use pre-packaged bottle. The amount of energy it takes to produce bottled water is considerable and wasteful!
Schauwecker, P.. (2009). Oil and Water: Fueling Questions. Natural Resources & Environment, 24(1), 46-47.  Retrieved July 20, 2011, from Research Library. (Document ID:  ).
Clearly bottled water is a costly and environmentally unsound habit. How do you think our community is affected by bottled water production? Air pollution? High cost of gas for our cars?
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17. Bottled Water and Fossil Fuels cont.
Discussion
From “cradle to grave” fossil fuels are heavily involved in the bottled water industry. With greenhouse emissions, cost, and dependence issues, bottled water production and disposal continues to be a significant problem in regards to the use of fossil fuels and energy waste, the result is environmental degradation.
For more information on fossil fuels and bottled water visit:
Does anyone have any questions on the relationship between bottled water and fossil fuels? I am not an expert on the science behind turning crude oil into plastic but I can find that information for anyone who is curious.
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19. What our community can do to help fight this problem…
STOP BUYING AND CONSUMING BOTTLED WATER! (seriously)
Get involved in making change at home, at work, and in the community by:
REDUCING consumption, REUSING products, and as a last option RECYCLING…
“Recycling provides opportunities to reduce oil usage, carbon dioxide emissions and the quantities of waste requiring disposal”(Hopewell, Dvorak, and Kosior, 2009).
Reducing your intake of bottled water; drink tap water
If you are concerned about tap water safety, buy a water filter for your tap instead of bottled water
Buying a glass or stainless steel reusable water container
Recycle plastic bottles appropriately after use
Be active in community recycling programs at work and in the schools
Pick up littered bottles and recycle them
Motivate friends and family to join you in reducing the mess bottled water is creating for our environment
Hopewell, J., Dvorak, R., and Kosior, E. (2009). Plastics recycling: challenges and opportunities. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci Jul 27;364(1526):
Does anyone have any questions about how you can make a difference in our community? If anyone needs more information or has any questions please feel to contact me. Thank you for allowing me to talk to you about bottled water and its impact on our environment and our community!
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20. References
Bruno, L. (2008). Old idea of using bioplastics gets a new lease of life. Guardian.co.uk. Retrieved July 20, 2011 from
Hopewell, J., Dvorak, R., and Kosior, E. (2009). Plastics recycling: challenges and opportunities. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci Jul 27;364(1526):
Moeller, D. (2005). Environmental Health. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press
New York State Dept. of Environmental Conservation Bureau of Waste Reduction & Recycling, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY Retrieved July 20, 2011 from
Schauwecker, P.. (2009). Oil and Water: Fueling Questions. Natural Resources & Environment, 24(1), 46-47.  Retrieved July 20, 2011, from Research Library. (Document ID:  ).
United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2011). Bottled Water. Retrieved July 20, from
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2011). FDA Regulates the Safety of Bottled Water Beverages Including Flavored Water and Nutrient-Added Water Beverages. Retrieved July 20, 2011 from
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21. Thank you
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22. More information about what you can do locally can be found at:
Useful Links
More information about what you can do locally can be found at:
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