Are There Microplastics in Your Drinking Water?

In certain contexts, plastic is fantastic. In your drinking water? Not so much. But even though it's an unwelcome addition, drinking water tends to be contaminated with plastic in its microform. This means your glass of ice water might come with yet another thing you don’t want.

What are Microplastics?

Microplastics, by definition, are minute pieces of plastic debris that are a result of consumer products and industrial waste breaking down. They are potentially harmful to humans, animals, and the environment. 

Microplastics, like overt plastic, aren’t biodegradable, which means they don’t break down into benign molecules the way paper and food waste do. In fact, plastic takes centuries to decompose, damaging Mother Nature along the way.

Oceans and beaches are prime places for microplastics, making them dangerous to marine animals. While littering is a major contributor of microplastics, weather plays a role, as well. Wind, rain, storms, and water runoff can push plastics into rivers and oceans (studies suggest that there are 24.4 trillion pieces of microplastics in the upper areas of the world’s oceans). Plastic that’s used once and discarded, such as disposable water bottles or drinking straws, is the biggest offender. 

Microplastics in Drinking Water

While the above will likely dissuade you from taking a giant gulp of the Pacific Ocean, microplastics are also found in your kitchen faucet (and bottled water, too!). There are several ways microplastics enter the public water supply. They may seep in after a rainstorm, come in through industrial waste, or even get deposited by the atmosphere. Just as with the ocean, items like plastic water bottles and straws are large contributors to microplastics in the water supply.

Avoiding Microplastics in the Home

The jury’s still out on just how big of a threat microplastics are to health, but common sense tells us that they’re not beneficial to gulp down. Fortunately, they are easily removed with a water filtration system. Because of their prevalence in bottled water, filtration is the only way to remove contaminants fully, assuring everything from your morning cups of joe to your midnight sips are microplastic-free and full of wellness.  

Regardless of what you’re in the market for, we can help.  Vita Filters merges water purification with peace of mind. Contact us today to learn how we bring maximum contaminant removal and healthier, cleaner water straight to your front door.