Food - Drink
Is It Safe To Drink From Plastic Bottles?
By KAREN HART
The consumption of microplastics, or fragments of plastic less than 5 mm in length, are a new-age health concern. A study at the State University of New York in Fredonia recently found that 93% of water tested from plastic bottles had microplastics swimming in it — but does drinking out of a plastic bottle really pose a health risk?
During an individual's lifetime, they will consume about 44 pounds of microplastics, mainly via plastic bottles and seafood sourced from creatures that have consumed plastic particles in the ocean. However, according to the Cancer Council in Australia, drinking out of plastic bottles should not put your health in danger.
The organization explains that plastic bottles are as safe as any other type of bottle, and any microplastics in your beverage are likely present in miniscule amounts. The only real health risk associated with plastic bottles is that bacteria can grow inside if you reuse them multiple times; just make sure to clean out your bottles frequently.