Water Bottles Should be Banned

Water bottles should be banned because they are slowly killing all life on earth. You may think that’s dramatic, however water bottles are extremely hazardous to all living things especially because they are made of plastic. Plastic water bottles can not only be highly toxic, but these plastic bottles contaminate water with microplastics. People also don’t recycle bottles properly which can lead to plastic ending up in the ocean causing an increase of pollution in the air and soil. Water bottles that aren’t properly thrown away can also be consumed by animals causing them to get sick and die.

Many people think that when it comes to water bottles, nothing can go wrong. Water bottles are convenient, easy to use, and people of all ages have access to them. When it comes to the microplastics within the bottle, it carries a range of contaminants such as trace metals and some potentially harmful organic chemicals. According to “Our homes are full of harmful microplastics. Here's how to minimize the risks” written by Mark Patrick Taylor, a Professor of Environmental Science and Human Health and graduate of Macquarie University, these chemicals can leak from the plastics surface causing toxic effects such as cancer. This means that every time you drink from a water bottle, you risk getting cancer because of the chemicals contained in the plastic!

Although microplastic is already bad enough, plastic can also contaminate the ground and water supply. According to “Microplastics in soils: Analytical methods, pollution characteristics and ecological risks” written by Defu He, a graduate from a school of Ecological and Environmental Sciences in Shanghai, China, “Microplastic entered in soil will be of storage, translocation, erosion, degradation and leach to groundwater, and thus threaten organisms and further affect human health”. This means that soil is getting contaminated with chemicals and metals found in water bottles. This causes the contamination of the food we eat and also harms the animals that live in the environment. Based on “Plastic Water Bottle Pollution: Where do all the Bottles End Up?” written by Healthy Human, plastic bottles are also bad because “For every six bottles people buy, only one is recycled.” This leads to a big problem because water bottles don’t biodegrade. Instead they photodegrade meaning they degrade because of sunlight. With that said, it takes at least up to 1000 years for every single bottle to decompose, leaking pollutants into our soil and water along the way. Considering plastics are produced with fossil fuels, not only does that make them an environmental hazard, but also an enormous waste of valuable resources.

Other than the microplastics playing a part in the dangers of using water bottles, pollution also plays a key role in contributing to the hazards. The article “Plastic Water Bottle Pollution: Where do all the Bottles End Up?“ also read that, “80 percent of the plastic water bottles we buy end up in landfills. U.S. landfills are overflowing with more than 2 million tons of discarded water bottles. It takes up to 1,000 years for every single bottle of water to decompose. Each bottle leaks harmful chemicals into our environment along the way as it decomposes.” This means that even when the bottles are discarded, they don’t decompose and end up sitting in landfills polluting the soil and air. Pollution has always been a huge issue in society and water bottles are causing more negative effects rather than benefits.

At least 800 species worldwide are affected by marine debris, and as much as 80 percent of that litter is plastic according to the United Nations. It is estimated that up to 13 million metric tons of plastic ends up in the ocean each year. Fish, seabirds, sea turtles, and marine mammals can become entangled in or ingest plastic debris, causing suffocation, starvation, and drowning. Humans are not immune to this threat: While plastics are estimated to take up to hundreds of years to fully decompose, some of them break down much quicker into tiny particles, which in turn end up in the seafood we eat. According to, “Plastic Pollution Affects Sea Life Throughout the Ocean” written by Simon Reddy, the Director of the International Environment, half of sea turtles worldwide have ingested plastic. Some starve after doing so, mistakenly believing they have eaten enough because their stomachs are full.

You may be wondering why or how this ties back to plastic bottles however these bottles are the leading cause of these tragedies around the world. People look at the convenience of bottled water but they dont look at the harm it's causing everyone else. It’s not only about humans anymore. We need to take better care of our food, environment, animals, plants, and our bodies and we can’t do that if we keep relying on these water bottles. We are dying because the plastic bottles are polluting our air, soil, and bodies and we need to ban them before we cause anymore damage.

As the environmental impacts of human activity are making themselves visible, speculations of plastic bans have become more common. Plastic cutlery, grocery bags, and most notably, water bottles are becoming increasingly difficult to obtain. Images of garbage washed up on beaches and advertisements of fully sustainable, recycled sneakers are rousing a movement of low-waste lifestyles. As an individual accomplishment, making efforts to protect the environment is appreciated. Authorized limitations, comparatively, lead to consumers finding loopholes in a policy they treat as a mere inconvenience. Implementing disposable plastic restrictions without prompting a shift in ideology is ineffective and produces unintended consequences. Although it is a thoughtful possible solution to a prominent issue, banning plastic water bottles does not decrease overall packaging waste given American consumer culture and instead reduces access to a healthy and essential choice of beverage.

To preface: plastic is undeniably harmful to the environment. Single-use plastic takes hundreds of years to decompose and represents a failure of human infrastructure. Many initially perceive the debate as a discussion on whether plastic is good for the environment- but any amount of research will objectively reveal that it's not. It's a comparison between two unfavorable outcomes. Banning disposable water bottles is simply unrealistic. Without the consideration of American culture, such policies prove themselves counterproductive. The average person will not think twice about buying disposable Keurig cups or saran-wrapped cheese. A single convenience store contains a plethora of packaged plastic goods, yet the emphasis of the ban is solely on the containers of an essential liquid. Buyers will often hold convenience over their regard for the environment and search for other plastic alternatives, such as a bottle of sweetened tea. A plastic ban will not be effective without a broader consideration of potential products. Starting with bottled water is the worst method to tackle our growing landfills.

Those most active in purchasing plastic water bottles often pay no mind to their habits. The price of filtration systems and reusable containers, along with the time it may take to fill each, reserves many responsibilities to a person that may not have the desire or the ability to fulfill. Data from an American Water Works survey (2021) reveals that 23% of Americans avoid drinking their tap water, with their main concerns being taste and cleanliness. 55% also report hydrating less if they don't have bottled water within reach. The simple visual indicator of the bottle signifies a familiar routine, perceived lesser evil to its sweetened, packaged beverage counterparts. Consumers will congratulate themselves on a 'healthy' practice rather than condemn their use of disposable products. In a culture with the consumption of 88.8 gallons of coffee and 39.5 gallons of carbonated drinks per capita, a measly 33.5 gallons of bottled water might even seem like an accomplishment (Euromonitor International, 2017). The appeal of portability, along with availability, allows Americans to purchase a bottle of water wherever they'd like, without the need of carrying a reusable one from home. And once it's finished, there's no hassle of keeping track of and holding an empty container- the nearest recycling bin takes care of it. Obtaining more drinking water would require public filtered water stations, as according to the aforementioned survey, 54% of Americans would not drink tap water in places other than their home. Water bottle bans would require agreement from the communities on which they're imposed. 9 in 10 Americans, however, believe that wherever drinks are sold, bottled water should be an option (Harris Poll conducted by the International Bottled Water Association, 2021). Perhaps a nod to the over-indulgence of Americans, many aren't even willing to put in the effort to adapt in a world without bottled water.

Ideology clashes put aside, bottled water bans decrease water bottle waste while inversely increasing bottle waste of other beverages. Reusable water bottles filled at home don't substitute for the typical situations where a buyer has options. In a convenience store, bottled water may not be available, yet dozens of sodas, carbonated waters, and energy drinks are on display. The Harris Poll also revealed that if chronic consumers found plastic bottled water unavailable, 74 percent would instead purchase a different packaged product- most of which would choose soda. A study on a University campus by the National Library of Medicine (2015) found that a packaged water ban had virtually no effect on plastic bottle shipments. Instead, inventory shipments of sweetened drinks increased with a decrease in healthy beverage shipments. An unintended consequence of plastic water bottle bans is the increased consumption of any other beverage, as long as it's a disposable container. As a long-term policy, it could potentially degrade the health of Americans. A more effective strategy to approach plastic water bottle waste could be to relay responsibility to industries rather than individuals. Perhaps an emphasis on recycled or biodegradable packaging while still having products readily available in stores. Bottled water buyers are an outcome of an industry that dominates the food market, beyond the control of an average citizen. The American waste crisis has skewed towards burdening individuals with duties, rather than addressing the heart of the problem.