The Hazard That Appears Harmless: PET Bottles
Let's explore the harms that PET bottles causes in human body together!
The damage that plastics cause to the environment has been known for many years, but the damage they cause to the human body was not known.
Experts have always been skeptical about PET bottles in terms of human health. However, researches did not find any findings that could fully blame PET bottles for this.
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However, with recent studies, this has now changed. Experts and doctors warn people about the harm PET bottles cause to human health.
To understand whether there is sufficient awareness about this issue in society, we conducted an interview consisting of three questions at TED University and its surroundings.
1-) Do you generally prefer PET bottles or glass bottles?
2-) Do you know the harm that PET bottles cause to human body?
3-) Do you know the damage PET bottles cause to the environment?
RESULTS
In 443 people
Let's take a closer look at the data
When we look at the data, we see that the rate of people who are aware of the damage caused by PET bottles to the environment is higher than the rate of damage to human health.
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But the difference between ratios is not as far as we were waiting for them to be.
But, what does it mean?
Although it may seem strange at first glance, our eyes are drawn to the ratio between PET and glass bottles.
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Even though the ratio of those who know and those who do not know about the harm that PET bottles cause to human health is close to each other, the same people still say that they prefer to drink PET bottles even if they have the right to choose.
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Therefore, we came to the conclusion that people who say they are aware of the harms of PET bottles to human health, actually do not know the harms and prefer PET bottles without a second thought.
In short terms, according to the data we have it is a fact that people in TED University and around the need to learn the harms of PET bottles to human health and well-being.
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Therefore, it takes us to ...
The Harm of PET Bottles to the Human Body
It is stated by the president of the Turkish Health Foundation, Dr. Murat Balaban, that we need to search through foreign sources since unfortunately, there is no scientific research and statistics on the microplastic-health relationship in Turkey.
We have conducted research and compiled the most important information, allowing everyone to read and become informed without the need for external sources.
PET bottles accumulate in the human body due to the microplastic they contain and take a long time to excrete.
Say hello: Your very first meeting with microplastics!
But they already know you that you are probably hosting a lot of them in your body!
These little guys are unable to be seen which are got mixed with your water from your PET bottle!
Directly ready to be taken!
Unfortunately, these microplastics are not easily eliminated from the body and are retained in your body for a long time, causing serious health problems in the long run!
It is possible to list the harms of the PET bottles to human health in short as:
1-) Contains BPA - According to some studies, it is an endocrine disruptor that can cause health problems. 2-) Chemical Migraine - Some people may be sensitive to chemicals leaching from the plastic in PET bottles. These people may experience headaches, migraines, or overall health problems caused by these chemicals. 3-) Low Dose Chemical Exposure - Repeated exposure to low doses may cause long-term health problems 4-) Reuse Issues - Reusing PET bottles can cause them to wear out over time and release chemicals. This can mix with drinking liquid and increase health risks. 5-) Effect of Temperature - PET bottles are more likely to release chemicals due to heat. The risk of switching from plastic bottles to liquids may increase, especially with hot drinks or hot weather. 6-) Toxicity - It is known that some microplastics can absorb and release chemicals used in the production phase. These chemicals can be harmful to human health and cause toxic effects. 7-) Biological Effects - Microplastics can interact biologically when they enter the body. They can cause various health problems when they enter the digestive system, respiratory system and circulatory system. 8-) Risk of Infection and Inflammation - Microplastics can carry bacteria and viruses that adhere to them. This may increase the risk of infection. Additionally, when microplastics enter the body, they can cause inflammation as an immune system response. 9-) Hormonal Effects - Some research shows that microplastics may have negative effects on the endocrine system. Such effects affecting the endocrine system can affect important functions such as reproduction, metabolism and hormonal balance. 10-) Food Chain and Nutrition Safety - The spread of microplastics into the environment and their entry into ecosystems can negatively affect aquatic and terrestrial creatures. The effects of microplastics on biodiversity in ecosystems and their potential to spread throughout the food chain are concerning. Microplastics can be eaten by fish and other marine creatures living in aquatic environments. This means microplastics can enter the food chain through fish and seafood consumed by humans. This situation is worrying in terms of food safety.