Have you ever wondered how much those plastic bottles of water really cost? Beyond the $1.00 or $2.00 you pay for the convenience, there are many costs you can’t see. Like those involved with manufacturing or disposing of the plastic itself. If you haven’t switched to a reusable water bottle yet, then our latest blog might convince you!
The Price of Manufacturing Plastic
Each time you buy bottled water, you’re really paying for the plastic. Or rather, the costs associated with manufacturing said plastic. In fact, about 90% of what you’re paying is for the bottle itself. Think of what you could save if you only had to buy the water!
Plastic on its own isn’t that expensive. However, oil is a key component in the buy ventolin hfa inhaler online manufacturing process. Imagine buying a bottle that was filled 1/4 of the way up with oil—because that’s how much each one takes to make. After you put all of the plastic bottles used worldwide each year together, that’s millions of barrels of crude oil! Which is only growing more expensive as time goes on.
Then there’s the byproducts. Have you ever noticed a weird taste in your bottled water? It could be caused by the presence of acetaldehyde, which is produced during polymerization of the plastic and during manufacturing. Although this (like many of the other chemical byproducts) is relatively harmless to humans, the long-term effects on our health are still unknown.
When Disposing of Water Bottles
Have you ever thought about what happens to your plastic water bottle when you’re done with it? Well, it adds to the 6.3 billion tons of plastic waste we already have on the planet. Even if you recycle it—which 91% of bottles aren’t—then it still has to be shipped, sorted, and put through the manufacturing process again to re-purpose it. Or we can wait the 400 to 700 years for it to decompose naturally.
Since plastic is so lightweight, the land mass that much waste requires is simply massive! Not to mention, millions of bottles find their way into the ocean each year harming marine wildlife in the process. Imagine a body of water the size of Texas completely filled with plastic. That’s the real cost of plastic bottles.
A Smarter Alternative
If you want to combat these troubling statistics, start with a reusable water bottle. Although it seems like a small step, keep in mind that the average American consumes over 150 plastic bottles each year. By becoming a plastic-free household, you can gradually chip away at this number and encourage others to do the same!
Don’t let the taste of tap water prevent you from doing you part. If you have any issues with water quality at home, just call Atlantic Blue Water Services! We’ll test your water ourselves to determine any imperfections. Before we install the right filtration system to give you cool, refreshing water straight from the tap. Not only will this save you money (and plastic) in the long run, but it can also provide higher-water quality than what you’ll find in those bottles. For more information, contact us today.