Consumer Group Wants Govt To Stop Using Bottled Water

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 Consumer Association of Penang president Mohideen Abdul Kader says this includes the use of plastic water bottles at all government facilities, such as offices and schools.
The Consumers’ Association of Penang said plastic water bottles has become a staple of every social function over the past two decades. (Envato Elements pic)PETALING JAYA: The Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP) has urged the government to ban plastic bottled water from their facilities, citing health and environmental concerns
CAP president Mohideen Abdul Kader said convenience, health considerations and a lack of trust in the quality of tap water have propelled the trend of plastic water bottle use.
“National, state governments and local authorities should ban plastic bottled water from their facilities. Schools, colleges and universities should do the same,” he said in a statement.
He added that over the past two decades, bottled water has become a part of every social function. “Gone are the days when water was served from a jug.”
Mohideen said that with the use of plastic water bottles, microplastic contamination is a major concern.
He added that plasticisers and other chemicals added to the bottles, to make them softer and more flexible, also risk disrupting the hormone system.
“In fact, studies consistently show that bottled water contains significantly more microplastics than tap water.
“A study published by Environmental Pollution (Volume 315, 2022) found microplastics in eight brands of bottled water from major supermarkets and retail shops in Malaysia,” he added.
Besides health concerns, he said bottled water is also viewed as an environmental menace due to the energy consumed in producing the product.
He said it is estimated that 1.5 million barrels of crude oil are used annually around the world to produce the plastic used by the bottled water industry.
“After consumption, bottles are often dumped. Discarded plastic bottles create mountainous rubbish heaps.
“Incinerating plastic bottles releases toxic by-products such as chlorine gas and ash containing heavy metals, which are harmful to both humans and animals,” he said.
He advised consumers to invest in a good-quality reusable bottle, preferably glass or stainless steel, for refilling purposes.
“The call to reduce and eventually eliminate single-use plastic bottles should be a core element of the global plastic treaty, recognising their significant contribution to plastic pollution,” Mohideen said. - FMT

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