Terry Bate, Għajnsielem
Tough questions about plastic bottles
We have had considerable lengthy debate and criticism regarding garbage in our islands and our inability to keep trash off the streets. One of the main polluters in evidence everywhere in Malta are plastic water bottles. Perhaps the following facts relating to the use - or misuse - of bottled water will draw our attention to what this marketing con is doing to our planet and our islands.
The realisation that bottled water is seldom of higher quality than tap water has caused a major shift in public opinion.
Consumers typically buy bottled water under the misconception that it is safer, purer or healthier than tap water. Bottled water companies have spent billions to manipulate consumers into believing that bottled water is safer or healthier than tap water. Now in many countries the public is talking back and asking some very tough questions:
• Is bottled water really better quality than tap?
• Do plastic water bottles leach harmful chemicals?
• Is the cost and convenience of bottled water just a waste of time and money?
• Do you know that bottled water is a leading source of plastic pollution around the world?
• Are you aware that most studies show bottled water quality to be the same or lower than that of tap water?
• Are home water filters a better option and which one is best?
The facts are clear: All plastic bottles leach synthetic chemicals into water, some more than others. Even the popular refillable polycarbonate water bottles are known to release BPA (Bisphenol A) into the water. The best and healthiest solution is a quality home water filter and refillable glass water bottles.
Hundreds of recent reports reveal that bottled water quality is grossly overrated. In the USA even the federal agency that regulates bottled water quality, the FDA, says "No" to bottled water. Quote: "Companies that market bottled water as being safer than tap water are defrauding the American public."
With a home water filter, you get better quality than bottled water, pure and natural taste, the convenience of tap water and all for less than one-tenth the cost of bottled water... and no plastic bottle pollution!
Bottled water's environmental impact:
• 60 million plastic bottles a day are disposed of in America alone!
• Massive amounts of greenhouse gases are produced from manufacturing the plastic bottles.
• Millions of gallons of fuel are wasted daily transporting filtered tap water around the world.
• It requires three times as much water to make the bottle as it does to fill it... it is an exceptionally wasteful industry.
• Eight out of 10 plastic water bottles become landfill waste.
• Plastic bottles take 700 years before they begin to decompose in a landfill.
Maltese consumers and retailers should consider the above facts before they sell or buy their next plastic bottle of water.
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lesley kreupl
Nov 5th 2008, 21:34
What about the bottled water imported from WALES in non-returnable glass bottles that has become so popular in restaurants recently!! (not to mention the French green bottles that have been around for years!).
I was horrified today looking into the scummy yuk that is the Marsalforn "river" to see that some folk had obviously had a good time trying to dumb numerous one-way green beer bottles into the mud so that they 'stood up'. I sometimes wonder what makes people tick.
I actually don't know what is worse, non-returnable glass or plastic. However, it boils down to what people do with it and certainly in this country most of it lands up in the wrong place. Come on folk, lets take a little bit of pride in our environment and not blame everything on the EU!
Alfred Baldacchino
Nov 5th 2008, 16:24
Water is better tasting in glass bottles. However, if it must be bottled in plastic, at least it should not be stored in strong sunlight for any length of time.
Joe Morana
Nov 5th 2008, 15:33
One more thing against plastics of any kind: In one form or another, plastics derive from petroleum distillates, which in turn start off as crude oil.
Terry Bate
Nov 5th 2008, 12:42
Vince, I'm a "Mr." not a "Miss" !
Paul Smith
Nov 5th 2008, 12:04
What a complete and utter waste of oil. Not just that, plastics are harmful and the enviromental damage is massive. We now have oceans filled with man made plastics.
Tony Stivala
Nov 5th 2008, 12:03
The above letter is sure an eye opener, I really think the times ought to take this seriously and investigate it furthur more.
There is also the issue of the storage of these plastic bottles in warehouse where rats urine on bottle rims, then you see youngsters and adults alike drinking directly from from the bottles which can have very seroius healthy consenquencies.
TRW O'Neill
Nov 5th 2008, 11:55
I also do not like the taste of bottled water, I much prefer the taste of the water from my tap.I agree also that the E.U. forced Malta to use Plastic Bottles, however it does not force people to throw the empty bottles into the street , or to litter the countryside, this is just an excuse put out by people who are pig ignorant, & who do not care to keep the streets tidy, The lack of wardens is well known, if litterbugs were fined heavily as they diserve , the practice would stop.
l Galea
Nov 5th 2008, 11:01
The eu is to blame for the mountain of millions of plastic bottles that we have ruining our environment because it forced the Maltese Government to remove a law which prohibited drinks in plastic bottles as otherwise bottlers from other eu countries would not be able to export their products to Malta.
This is another negative aspect of the eu which professes to protect the environment but is actually, visibly and patently more interested in consumption and free trade than the protection of the environment.
No wonder real environmentalists consider the eu as a sham organization whose decisions are heavily influenced by industry and other shady interests rather than by the consumers and environmentalists.
The only consolation is that in the not too distant future it will collapse, and as they say, the bigger they are the harder they fall.
VinceCachia
Nov 5th 2008, 10:45
Miss Bate you should thank the European UNION for forcing us to shift from glass to plastic bottles! And yes a good home water filter is a better investment than tons of bottled water! I don't drink bottled water...I hate the taste!!!