Plastic water bottles are one of the most polluting objects in our oceans today. According to National Geographic, Americans are the highest consumers of disposable plastic water bottles, with a purchase rate of roughly 29 million per year and a recycling rate of only 29.1% (EPA). The remaining 70.9% are incinerated, discarded in landfills, or end up in bodies of water.

Disposable water bottles are responsible for harming and killing more than 1.1 million marine animals each year (WorldWide Boat). Plastic bottles enter our oceans through river streams, drainage systems, rainwater runoff, and wind migration currents, inadvertently choking sea mammals when ingested. Single-use disposable water bottles often contain toxic chemicals, including Bisphenol A (BPA), an endocrine disruptor, and Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), a toxin known to cause liver damage and cancer, both of which are commonly found in fish.

You can help combat the growing plastic waste in our oceans by switching to tap water. Drinking tap water eliminates the need to purchase single-use plastic water bottles while protecting marine life in the process. Interested in learning more about the environmental impacts of plastic water bottles and how tap water can mitigate the problem? Check out the article, “Why Are Disposable Water Bottles Harmful to the Environment?”