Green Groups Urge Undas Travelers and Cemetery Visitors to Bring Water in Reusable Containers instead of Buying Water in Plastic Bottles
Examples of reusable water containers.
In a bid to reduce the consumption of disposable plastic
bottles, two zero waste advocacy groups urged those embarking on their Undas
journey and those visiting the tombs of their deceased relatives to bring their
own water in reusable containers.
Through a joint statement, the EcoWaste Coalition and the
Mother Earth Foundation (MEF) urged the public to go for reusable water
containers, which can be re-used countless times, to curb the mounting plastic
waste that is polluting the environment, including the oceans.
“Opting for water in reusable containers instead of
throw-away plastic bottles, which are petrochemical products, will be hugely
beneficial for the environment and the climate,” said Sonia Mendoza, Chairman,
MEF.
“As our nation and the entire planet wrestle with the
negative impacts of chemical and plastic pollution and climate change, we urge
everyone to go for reusable containers and fill them with clean tap water or,
if needed, with boiled or filtered water,” added Mendoza who is also an Adviser
to the EcoWaste Coalition.
According to studies in the US, “bottling water releases
2.5 million tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere annually and takes 17
million barrels of oil to produce a year’s supply, which is enough to fuel 1.3
million cars for the year or power 190,000 homes.”
“As not all reusable water containers are the same, we
advise the public to select safe substitutes to disposable plastic
bottles. If metal-based containers such
as vacuum flasks are preferred, please pick those that are not coated with lead
paint as we have detected dangerously high lead levels on some painted flasks
being offered for sale in local stores.
Also, shun those are not certified free of Bisphenol A (BPA), a known
endocrine disruptor,” said Thony Dizon, Chemical Safety Campaigner, EcoWaste
Coalition.
“If buying water in disposable plastic bottles cannot be
avoided, we ask Undas travelers not to toss the used ones out of the car
windows, throw them on the sidewalk, or burn them along with other discards in
cemeteries. Dispose of empty bottles in
recycling bins or hand them over to waste recyclers please,” added Jove Benosa,
Zero Waste Campaigner, EcoWaste Coalition.
Studies indicate that “reusable bottles are a safe, less
wasteful and eventually more cost-effective alternative to disposable ones,”
the groups said.
“By opting for reusable bottles, we help in reducing the
volume of plastic waste that gets burned, dumped or spilled into the oceans,
cut hazardous chemicals production, use and pollution, protect animals,
especially marine life, and their natural habitat, and save money, too,” the groups emphasized.
-end-
Reference:
https://www.printwand.com/blog/plastic-water-bottle-pollution-effects-facts
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