Dangers of plastic bottles - BPA
We spend over $100 billion a year worldwide on plastic water bottles and it is expected to grow around 4 to 10% each year as we continue to use more and more plastic bottles in our everyday lives. We did some research before we started the company to get a feel for the market we wanted to try and change and almost everybody we asked used plastic bottles. They're very convenient. Pick a bottle up from your refrigerator or local supermarket, drink the contents and throw it away. End of story. Some of us might throw these bottles into recycling - most won't.
What's the Problem with Plastic Bottles?
The bottled water industry over here is a strange one. On one hand you have the well-known local brands who try to push sodium-free water (this is a subject for itself which will be covered very soon on this blog) and then you have the not-so-well-known companies to provide offices and villas with 5 gallon bottles for the water dispensers.
These 5 gallon bottles is what we are slightly concerned about and here's why. Plastic bottles (all sizes from those silly little grenade-type, one-mouthful bottles to the big 5 gallons) do not like heat. If they are exposed to UV radiation or are left in a car during hot weather (which let's face it is everyday of the year here), the layers of plastic which make up the bottle start to break down. The 5 gallon bottles from the lesser-know companies have the recycling code 3 or 7 on them (this is what we look for when we are out-and-about). These bottles release a chemical called bisphenol A, or more commonly know as BPA.
How many times do you see a batch of 5 gallon bottles sitting in the sun. Every time we visit our customers in Media City or Internet City we are guaranteed to see at least 4 batches of around 10-15 bottles. Just left there. On there own. Who knows how long they are sat there for. No one cares, it's really strange. The end consumer simply doesn't know how long the water they are drinking has been sitting in the sun. We always wonder how many people actually think about that whilst dispensing water from those bottles.
Whilst we're on the subject, don't think BPA-free stuff is harmless either. BPA has an ugly brother called bisphenol S (BPS). That can seep into your water when left in hot weather and direct sunlight too.
The problem with both of these chemicals is that when ingested by humans, the chemicals change the way your endocrine system functions. Ingestion is linked to chronic diseases in humans including diabetes, asthma and cancer.
It is literally a silent killer.
How Our Team is Involved in Solving the Problem with Plastic Bottles
The worst thing about all of this is not many of us actually know about these problems. Which is where we are trying to make a difference. Educating companies around Dubai that plastic is a serious issue not just for the environment but also for the health of their employees. BPA and BPS is in every kind of plastic bottles we use here and if its not stored correctly it is dangerous.
We offer our business customers branded glass bottles as well as water purifiers for offices. Not only does it look a lot more professional in their meeting rooms, but they are guaranteed not to be ingesting any dangerous chemicals from plastic. They are cleaned after each use reusable over and over again and let's face it, a branded glass bottle with your company's logo on it looks a lot more professional than some plastic bottles.
If this sounds something from your business then get in touch to learn more about our water purifier machines and let's see what we can do for you. Let's Sprudel!
P.S. Next time you drink from your plastic 5 gallon bottle or any other type of bottle look for the recycling stamp. It is normally printed on the underside of plastic products. The 'safer' products are coded 1, 2, 4 and 5. The products with the code 3, 6 and 7 are the ones which should be avoided.
