water water everwhere

The following article is reprinted from “sportstextiles.com” online publication. It is a UK publication with all the latest and greatest news even some that they think we should be concerned about.

A solution to microplastic contamination in drinking water?

Filtration and purification product developer LifeStraw has said its water filtration products have achieved a removal rate of 99.999% of microplastics from drinking water in independent laboratory testing.

“Single-use plastic bottles have long posed an environmental threat,” said Alison Hill, managing director of LifeStraw. “With recent reports on the affect bottled water has on human health, we have a responsibility to provide alternatives for safe hydration for consumers as well as communities in need and to minimise single-use plastic bottle pollution.”

The report Ms Hill was referring to is based on two recent studies carried out by Orb Media, a non-profit journalism organisation. They found that 93% of bottled water and 83% of tap water is contaminated with microplastics.

The bottled water study examined 259 bottles from 100 brands across 19 locations in nine countries. It found an average of 325 microplastic particles in every litre of water sold.

LifeStraw explained it has independently tested its single-stage and two-stage filtration systems and found a microplastics removal rate of 99.999%. Its products also remove bacteria and chemicals.

LifeStraw is a subsidiary of Switzerland-based company Vestergaard. It introduced its first product in 1996, a filter designed to remove Guinea worm larvae from water following an outbreak of Guinea worm disease.

The last known case of guinea worm disease that was reported was in 2011 in Chad, Ethiopia, Mali and South Sudan.

It now offers a range of products, including a travel-friendly “straw” water filter, a refillable water bottle with integrated, replaceable filter technology, and a water bottle designed for children.

LifeStraw has said that one of its products can provide up to 8,000 water bottles worth of safe drinking water, reducing the need for single-use plastic bottles.

As part of its ‘Giving Back Through Retail’ programme, for every product purchased, LifeStraw provides one child in a community in need with safe drinking water for an entire year.

According to scientific studies done in the USA the scientists say since the body has no use for these microscopic pieces of plastic within two days the body gets rid of them.

From the research that I did after reading the article I have come to the conclusion that this company is using a scare tactic to get people to buy their product.

When I was lost I consumed as much water as I could each time I came to a stream. People asked if I was worried about getting giardia and I said no, because if I did get it the doctors could give me a medication to clear it. If I did not drink the water I would sure die.

I am not against filtering water but I am against companies that ploy tactics like shooting from the hip. People all over the USA happen to have available to them the cleanest drinking water of any developed country on the planet, I lived in N.Y.C. where the water is considered the best in the country and it makes the best bagels. I lived in the Carolinas and as far as I am concerned the water was as good as N.Y.C. I now live in Grand Junction Colorado and drink water from the Grand Mesa and as far as I am concerned the bagels that I buy here are equal to those of N.Y.C. In reality I have not heard of anyone person having a problem as a result of drinking tap water or water from the multitude of plastic bottles that are available.

This company should go to third world countries where water is a problem and help them versus trying to get people like you and me to support their desires. What they propose is not a solution!