Bottled Water Has More Microplastics Than Tap Water

Your bottled water and carton milk contain microplastics. A study identified and measured microplastics in specific brands of drinking water bottles and milk packaging. The plastic comes from the container itself.

What the Research Found

Published in a peer-reviewed study, researchers investigated the presence of microplastics in drinking water bottles and milk cartons. They identified MPs in the products and measured their occurrence across brands.

The microplastics in bottled water don't come from tap water. They come from the bottle. The act of filling, transporting, storing, and opening a plastic bottle introduces plastic particles into the liquid. Temperature changes accelerate this. A water bottle left in a hot car sheds more microplastics than one stored cold.

The "Just Drink Water" Problem

Bottled water is marketed as cleaner than tap water. For some contaminants, that's true. For microplastics, it's the opposite. A 2019 study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found bottled water contained 22 times more microplastics than tap water.

The solution: filter your tap water with a quality filter (activated carbon or reverse osmosis removes microplastics) and carry it in a stainless steel or glass bottle. You eliminate both the plastic packaging cost and the microplastic contamination. Browse non-toxic kitchen alternatives for reusable water bottles.

Also see glass food containers for safer alternatives.

Source: Identification and occurrence of microplastics in drinking water bottles and milk packaging (2024).