Investigation finds numerous bottled and carbonated waters contain forever chemicals
Carbonated waters have been all the rage the last few years. Some becoming so popular, such as La Croix & Bubly, that certain flavors have even been difficult to locate in stores. If you attended a (socially distanced) bbq or party this year, there’s a good chance you knocked back a few. Now comes news that a recent Consumer Reports investigation found forever chemicals in “popular bottled water and carbonated water brands”.
Per- and polyfluoroakyl substances (PFAS) is a man made chemical that’s used in everything from food packaging to nonstick pans. Unfortunately it’s often found in our drinking water. Scientists and environmental groups recommend a limit of 1 part per trillion (ppt) for PFAS levels in our drinking water. The results of the Consumer Reports investigation found that Topo Chico, Bubly, La Croix, Canada Dry and Perrier water all had levels of PFAS exceeding 1 ppt. Exposure to PFAS at levels higher than the recommended levels has shown to lead to adverse health effects. As talked about before and Gizmodo explains in the linked article below, such adverse health effects include “altered metabolism, fertility, reduced fetal growth, and reduced ability of the immune system to fight infections.”
What really complicates matters when it comes to PFAS levels in our drinking water and products is the varying opinions on what a safe ppt level is. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for example recommends PFAS levels not exceed 70 ppt. Which is of course well above what scientists and environmental groups believe is safe. Individual states even have their own limits ranging anywhere from 12 ppt to 20 ppt. Internationally speaking, the International Bottled Water Association lists 5 ppt and 10 ppt as their recommendation.
So as you can imagine, it’s difficult to get everyone on board with what’s truly safe when there are so many different opinions on the matter. What is clear is that we’d all be better off if we could just just move on from PFAS for good. It just doesn’t seem worth the risk.
To read Gizmodo’s article in its entirety, click here: https://bit.ly/3cEHjgt