On Earth Day 2024, Bluewater, a leader in water purification and beverage innovation, has issued a stark warning about the dire consequences of the plastic bottle tsunami and the pervasive threat of toxic ‘forever chemicals’ like PFAS. The company stresses that these environmental hazards pose an existential threat to global ecosystems and human health.
“According to the United Nations, no space or living creature anywhere on Planet Earth is spared from the micro- and nano-plastic particles following in the trail of the 600 billion plastic bottles produced every year – and the toxic chemicals such as PFAS found in them and our tap water,” stated Swedish environmental entrepreneur Bengt Rittri, founder and CEO of Bluewater.
Rittri further highlighted disturbing new data regarding recycled plastic water bottles, which may be tainted by toxic PFAS chemicals, risking contamination of both beverages and the environment. “The lack of research about the extent of PFAS-related health risks is hugely disturbing due to the growing evidence linking forever-chemicals to cancer and other diseases such as decreased immunity, falling sperm counts, and congenital disabilities,” Rittri explained. He continued, noting the widespread presence of microplastic particles and related chemicals in biological tissues and their potentially terrifying health implications.
PFAS chemicals, including PFOS and PFOA, are alarmingly ubiquitous, polluting soils and surface waters globally due to their widespread application in various consumer products. These substances are also commonly found in tap water across the globe.
In light of these revelations, Rittri urged global leaders to take decisive action. “It’s now clear we are in a plastic versus planet scenario, so I’m pleading for world governments to work together to urgently reduce all plastic production and phase out single-use plastic bottles,” he said.
Founded in Stockholm in 2013, Bluewater has embedded sustainability at its core, consistently focusing on advancing cutting-edge water purification technologies that eliminate up to 99.97 percent of all known water contaminants. Additionally, Bluewater is pioneering new sustainable beverage and bottle solutions to eliminate the reliance on single-use plastic bottles. The company’s latest innovation, the Bluewater Kitchen Station 1™, is designed to reassure consumers about tap water safety by removing nearly all contaminants and enriching the water with beneficial minerals from ancient Swedish mountains.
“At Bluewater, we very much believe in the art of the possible, which is why we are investing in clean tech and approaches that deliver great-tasting water from taps everywhere that people can trust and will leave a planet fit for future generations to enjoy and thrive on,” Rittri affirmed.
