Research findings of plastic in bottled water highlights the dangers that lie ahead
Plastics have been one of the most useful inventions of the 20th century and one cannot imagine modern life without them — we are surrounded by plastic. But plastics inside usIJ A study conducted by a non-profit media organisation studied the contents of 20 different brands of bottled water from nine countries, including bottles acquired in Mumbai, and found that in almost all of them there was microplastic contamination. On an average, there were 10.4 particles per litre that were bigger than 100 microns, about the width of a human hair. What is ironic is that many people buy bottled water, particularly in countries like India, to avoid the risks of drinking non-potable water from taps. The report has sent the world into a tizzy with the World Health Organisation getting involved and demands being made to implement standards for microplastic contamination.
In the 1980’s, the microchip was making waves and many people assumed that bionic human beings with implanted chips would be roaming the world by 2020. Thankfully, cyborgs remained for the most part inside a Hollywood scriptwriters head. However, it appears that by 2020 human beings will increasingly become ‘plasticated’. It is not just the water we drink but also the food we eat. Plastic microbeads that were popular with companies making body wash liquids were banned because those small beads, ostensibly to exfoliate skin, were being eaten by fish and making it up to the food chain. Huge floating islands of plastics in the oceans are being weathered down into smaller and smaller bits which will eventually make it back to human foods. Many livestock animals in India, particularly cattle, have been found with several kilograms of plastic inside. And in India, an absence of food-safe plastics in many outlets means that we inadvertently consume plastics as well.
It is fairly apparent that plastics have invaded our food chain and removing them completely will be impossible in the short term. A start though should be made by strictly enforcing the plastic bag ban and by enforcing recycling norms. The study also commented that only 50 per cent of all the bottles were recycled, an innovative use for many old plastic bottles is making sports jerseys, but more needs to be done to reuse plastic and other synthetic products like synthetic rubber in both car tires and chewing gum. While there may be no obvious health impacts of this increased plastification today, but it is almost certain that there will be a negative health impact on future generations. And unless we act upon the plastic problem by establishing norms now, we run the risk of the problem becoming far worse tomorrow.