International Bottled Water Association | POSITION STATEMENT | January 28, 2025
Alexandria, VA – The bottled water industry is committed to providing consumers with the safest and highest quality healthy-hydration products. Micro- and nanoplastics are found everywhere in the environment – in the air, soil, and water. Bottled water is just one of thousands of food and beverage products (including soft drinks and juices) that are packaged in plastic containers.
Because there are no certified testing methods and no scientific consensus on the potential health impacts of micro- and nanoplastics, the industry supports conducting additional research on this important issue.
While many studies on micro- and nanoparticles have used water samples (tap and bottled), it is important to understand that researchers use water because it is the least complex testing medium. Conclusions that drinking water is a major route for oral intake of micro- and nanoplastics are not justified based on the current science available.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says “it is not aware of scientific evidence that would support consumers being concerned about the potential level of microplastic or nanoplastic contamination in food, including bottled water. FDA further notes: “Several studies have found microplastics and nanoplastics in both tap and bottled water; however, at this time, the scientific evidence does not demonstrate that levels of microplastics or nanoplastics in water pose a risk to human health. Read more here
After reviewing available studies, the World Health Organization (WHO) concluded that no adverse health effects could be drawn from dietary exposure to micro- and nanoplastic particles less than 10 microns due to minimal scientific research. WHO’s recommendation is for more research to be conducted, as well as establishing standardized methods for measuring and quantifying nano and microplastics. (Source: “Dietary and inhalation exposure to nano- and microplastic particles and potential implications for human health.” Geneva: World Health Organization; 2022.)
Like the WHO and FDA, the agency that regulates bottled water as a food product, IBWA strongly supports more research being conducted on this issue before any conclusions about the health effects of micro- and nanoplastic can be made.
The American Chemistry Council (ACC) is also aligned on this point, pledging nearly $15 million to fund independent research and setting a goal for all US plastic packaging to be reused, recycled, or recovered by 2040. ACC is investing billions of dollars in infrastructure improvements and advocating for effective policies to help collect and recycle more used plastics to keep them from entering the environment.
For more information about bottled water, visit IBWA’s website: www.bottledwater.org.
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Media Contact:
Jill Culora
[email protected]
703.647.4609
The International Bottled Water Association (IBWA) is the authoritative source of information about all types of bottled waters, including spring, mineral, purified, artesian, and sparkling. Founded in 1958, IBWA’s membership includes U.S. and international bottlers, distributors, and suppliers. IBWA is committed to working with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which regulates bottled water as a packaged food product, to set comprehensive and stringent standards for safe, high-quality bottled water products.
In addition to FDA regulations, IBWA member bottlers must adhere to the IBWA Bottled Water Code of Practice, which mandates additional standards and practices that in some cases are more stringent than federal and state regulations. A key feature of the IBWA Bottled Water Code of Practice is a mandatory annual plant inspection by an independent, third-party organization.