Microplastics found in 93% of bottled water tested in global study • Hacker News Board

Re: Microplastics found in 93% of bottled water tested in global study

#341

Post by NullPrefix » Sat, Sep 28, 2019, 1:08 PM UTC

bilbo0s wrote: post #326

kccqzy wrote: post #296

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And plenty of aluminum cans of water as well, not to mention aluminum recycling is perhaps the most implemented recycling effort of any materials.

I'm not really sure how much glass or aluminum containers would matter to the fundamental point? The plant that purifies the water and puts it into the glass and aluminum containers almost certainly uses plastic or rubber tubing in its machinery. So you'd likely get some plastic particles transferred there as well. In the end, I'd be willing to bet that tap water has fewer micro plastics than water bottled in glass o…

> Problem, of course, is that your municipality likely uses some form of metal piping to get water to your tap. Which, depending on what all that is, could mean elevated lead levels etc.

Not a metallurgist, but I am pretty sure there are metal alloys that do not contain lead.

Re: Microplastics found in 93% of bottled water tested in global study

#342

Post by bufferoverflow » Sat, Sep 28, 2019, 1:28 PM UTC

ehnto wrote: post #298

lukaa wrote: post #131

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For practical purpose does it matter? It detects non-water particles(pollution) in twice higher ratio than in tap water and plastic bottled water is sold as way purer than tap water with 1000 time higher price. Basically it's scam.

Does the plastic come from the bottle, or from the water source?

If it came from the bottle, wouldn't it be in 100% of the samples?

Re: Microplastics found in 93% of bottled water tested in global study

#343

Post by apacheCamel » Sat, Sep 28, 2019, 1:47 PM UTC

bufferoverflow wrote: post #342

ehnto wrote: post #298

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Does the plastic come from the bottle, or from the water source?

If it came from the bottle, wouldn't it be in 100% of the samples?

Possibly. I guess it would also depend on the plastic used for the bottles themselves since the article says it was taken from different companies.

Re: Microplastics found in 93% of bottled water tested in global study

#344

Post by kaybe » Sat, Sep 28, 2019, 2:02 PM UTC

nosianu2 wrote: post #327

ant6n wrote: post #299

Earlier quoted context omitted.

(that's carbonated water in glass bottles)

Since the parent comment says "Germany" I can say with confidence: We have both, so that qualifier is not true unless you specifically buy exactly carbonated water. It is true though that for whatever reason that I just cannot comprehend the majority of water sold in bottles in this country (Germany) is carbonated. nor can I understand why so much of it is sold - tap water is very good in most places. I know a water…

In response to your first link: If you do want tap water in a restaurant, as long as you order another drink as well they'll be fine with it.

Re: Microplastics found in 93% of bottled water tested in global study

#345

Post by Reason077 » Sat, Sep 28, 2019, 2:09 PM UTC

inimino wrote: post #317

tokai wrote: post #279

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Voss made a fortune selling Norwegian tap water around the world. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voss_(water)

I used to like their glass bottles, recently I bought again and found they have switched to plastic (at least in some markets) that looks the same and even feels the same until you open it. Fooled me once, shame on them; will never buy again.

If you look carefully at the base of the bottle, the glass version has molding marks (raised dots and ridges) that aren't present the plastic version.

Re: Microplastics found in 93% of bottled water tested in global study

#346

Post by seveneightn9ne » Sat, Sep 28, 2019, 2:15 PM UTC

peteretep wrote: post #287

jacobolus wrote: post #281

Earlier quoted context omitted.

“Better” taste is subjective. Many people have become familiar with the flavor of plastic, and learned to associate it with “purity” or “freshness” or “quality” or whatever.

I think this is untrue; there’s plenty of difference in water taste from region to region in countries, without having to suggest it’s the taste of plastic that people react to. In NYC I always drink bottled water, where I’ll happily drink potable tap water in most places.

Wait, what? NYC has some of the best tap water in the country (barring some old buildings with bad pipes).

Re: Microplastics found in 93% of bottled water tested in global study

#347

Post by reaperducer » Sat, Sep 28, 2019, 2:40 PM UTC

rrix2 wrote: post #231

reaperducer wrote: post #165

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've seen New York City municipal water sold in supermarkets on the west coast. The brand was something clever like NYC2O.

I wonder if anyone's tried making bagels with it yet.

There was a place in Las Vegas called Glaziers that had New York City water trucked in to make its bagels. They were very good, but very expensive.

It's out of business now.

Re: Microplastics found in 93% of bottled water tested in global study

#348

Post by SomeOldThrow » Sat, Sep 28, 2019, 2:59 PM UTC

Varriount wrote: post #283

SomeOldThrow wrote: post #277

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Assuming there’s a lack of toxic effects because a human has not yet named any is fallacious. Safety is inherently impossible to demonstrate with certainty.

But they never said that microplastic had "no" toxic effects, just no immediately visible ones.

Just curious, what does “immediately visible” mean?

Re: Microplastics found in 93% of bottled water tested in global study

#349

Post by cakemuncher » Sat, Sep 28, 2019, 4:40 PM UTC

elif wrote: post #297

kccqzy wrote: post #296

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And plenty of aluminum cans of water as well, not to mention aluminum recycling is perhaps the most implemented recycling effort of any materials.

Aluminum cans are typically lined with plastic.

But it doesn't get released as easily. I've read a few weeks ago a thread on an ultralight backpacking forum where they were discussing cooking in beer can. They were pulling spec docs and Lab tests of how much plastic gets released if they cook in those cans. The results was that they release about 0.01% of FDA limit. So, according to ultralight backpackers on that forum, it should be safe.

Re: Microplastics found in 93% of bottled water tested in global study

#350

Post by cakemuncher » Sat, Sep 28, 2019, 4:41 PM UTC

Xylakant wrote: post #335

nosianu2 wrote: post #327

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Since the parent comment says "Germany" I can say with confidence: We have both, so that qualifier is not true unless you specifically buy exactly carbonated water. It is true though that for whatever reason that I just cannot comprehend the majority of water sold in bottles in this country (Germany) is carbonated. nor can I understand why so much of it is sold - tap water is very good in most places. I know a water…

> It is true though that for whatever reason that I just cannot comprehend the majority of water sold in bottles in this country (Germany) is carbonated. When I was a kid, my parents would only buy carbonated water. Still water was available from the tap. Today, I stopped buying even that, I can carbonate my water myself. As to why we buy so much bottled water: Marketing. Some waters have a distinct taste, but at lea…

How do you carbonate water yourself?