Why Plastic Bottles Are bad & Here's Why You Should Switch To Glass Bottles
Why Plastic Bottles Are Bad & Here’s Why You Need To Switch To Glass Bottles
It won’t come as a surprise that plastic is harmful to the environment but what can be surprising is the extent of the damage that plastics can cause.
Plastic is made from natural gas and oil, both of which are accessed by drilling deep into the earth’s crust. You will find plastic everywhere: in bottles, containers for food, plant vases, cereal boxes. A lot of plastic ends up in landfills and is piling up at an alarming rate. Meanwhile, drilling into the earth’s crust continues as more and more plastic is being manufactured. It’s a worrisome cycle that is hurting the planet more than benefiting it.
Whereas, glass is made from sand, ash, limestone, and in a lot of cases with recycled glass itself. These resources are widely available. The resources that make up glass are easily found and can be recycled over and over, with no limits. Glass isn’t piling up in landfills like plastic is. And if this isn’t enough to convince you, read on to know all the reasons why plastic bottles are bad & why you need to switch to glass bottles already:
- Glass Bottles are Environment Friendly
First things first, glass bottles are 100% recyclable. They can be recycled numerous times without lowering the quality. In fact, 80% of glass containers get turned into new products. As a result, fewer emissions get produced and released into the air. The recycling process is fairly quick, with bottles going back onto shelves in about 30 days.
Plastic bottles bottling process releases 2.5 million tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere annually and disposable water bottle waste washes into the ocean and kills 1.1 million marine creatures each year.
- Plastic Bottles Can Disrupt Hormones
Most bottled water is sold in plastic, also known as polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Research shows that PET may be an endocrine disruptor, altering our hormonal systems. Although this type of plastic is BPA free, phthalates in bottles can still seep into your water, especially when exposed to high temperatures or stored for an extended period of time. Whereas, glass is non-toxic, free from potentially harmful chemicals and generally not associated with a negative impact to your health. It is less porous than plastic. It also has a high resistance to leeching into your product even when contained for long periods of time.
- Presence Of Micro-plastics
Recent studies show bottled water containing excessive levels of microplastics - small pieces of plastic debris less than five millimeters in size. According to research conducted by Orb Media, 93% of the 11 bottled water brands sampled, all showed traces of micro-plastics.
Plastic gets a bad reputation for its toxicity and tendency to leech into products. When used incorrectly, plastics can leech possibly harmful chemicals into your bottle. Water stored in plastic bottles can harm your body in different ways. Improper or extreme storage conditions can accelerate this process which can lead to various diseases like cancer and kidney damage.
- Glass Bottles Don't Hold Residual Odours
Glass bottles preserve taste and are better for the environment and your health. If you have used a plastic or metal bottle in the past, you must have experienced that moment when water tastes something different. This is commonly due to the residual taste from the bottle. Many water bottles have the presence of harmful chemicals which can be hazardous for consumption. Glass bottles don't have any chemicals, also they don't hold any odour or taste.
- Holds a Steady Temperature
Whether hot or cold, glass bottles hold liquids at a steady temperature more effectively than plastic. Glass can be used for liquids other than water without absorbing foreign flavours, odours, or colours. That means you can use a glass water bottle to hold your hot tea in the morning, and use the same water bottle for refreshingly cold water in the afternoon.
Glass bottles can be higher priced than regular plastic bottles but when it comes to your own personal health, it’s a small cost to pay (or shall we say an investment?).
You may or may not switch to glass bottles immediately but we hope this article gives you some food for thought. If you plan to switch, we have a new range of glassware products to help you with just that!