Forever Chemicals Found in Large Sparkling Water Products

Whether it be a sugary drink or extra salty fast food, you know there are some things we ingest into the body that should be kept to a minimum or regulated if possible. That’s why we are concerned about some recent news regarding a number of sparkling water brands and products. Over the years there has been a lot of talk about PFAS and ‘forever chemicals’; chemicals that can stay in the body for as long as a human lifetime—or longer—before fully breaking down. As such, an accumulation of these chemicals in our drinks is nothing to scoff at.

What are PFAS?

PFAS stands for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances, which is a large group of chemicals used in plastics in consumer products, like cookware, packaging, clothes and more. PFAS molecules are problematic in that they cannot break down easily, making them incredibly dangerous for the environment and our bodies. PFAS molecules have carbon-fluorine bonds that are very strong and not easily degradable… in fact, they have a half-life of 7 years in the body. PFAS, like other plastics, are known as one of the ‘forever chemicals’, posing multiple health risks that have become more apparent in recent years, which we will discuss.

What can PFAS do to us?

While our understanding of PFAS and their effects on the body is evolving, what we do know is PFAS molecules can affect the body in the following ways:

• Decreased fertility and increased blood pressure in pregnant women
• Developmental delays or behavioural changes in children
• Increased risk of cancers, including kidney, prostate and testicular cancers
• Reduced immune system and infection combatting
• Increased risk of cardiovascular disease

And the side effects don’t end there. Simply put, what we know about PFAS is that these health disrupting molecules shouldn’t be ingested into our body at all.

What brands have PFAS in their Water?

The recommended amount of PFAS in drinking water according to The Environmental Working Group is less than 1ppt of PFAS, and some sparkling waters exceed that amount. Those being:

• Perrier Natural Sparkling Mineral Water
• La Croix Natural Sparkling Water
• Canada Dry Lemon Lime Sparkling Seltzer Water
• Poland Spring Zesty Lime Sparkling Water
• Bubly Blackberry Sparkling Water
• Polar Natural Seltzer Water
• Topa Chico Natural Mineral Water

All these brands, in essence, have amounts that could be dangerous to drinkers. What’s even worse is that there are some parts of the world where drinking water supplies have PFAS levels that rate even worse than those brands mentioned above. Luckily some brands are listening, and Topo Chico halved the amount of PFAS in their water, though the subsequent level is still higher than the recommended amount.

How Chemwatch can help?

Chemwatch produces Safety Data Sheets (SDS) to ensure all your users are aware of the hazards related to the chemicals used in products. If you want to know more about the environmental and health effects of chemicals, or how to minimise risk while working with chemicals, we’re here to help. We have tools to help you with mandatory reporting, as well as generating SDS and Risk Assessments. We also have a library of webinars covering global safety regulations, software training, accredited courses, and labelling requirements. For more information, Contact Us today!

Sources

• https://www.epa.gov/sdwa/and-polyfluoroalkyl-substances-pfas
• https://globalaffairs.org/bluemarble/pfas-forever-chemicals-countries-regulations
• https://www.epa.gov/pfas/our-current-understanding-human-health-and-environmental-risks-pfas
• https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/apr/29/pfas-death-cardiovascular-disease#:~:text=Veneto's%20drinking%20water%20was%20widely,about%20one%20every%20three%20days.
• https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/pfc
• https://www.foodandwine.com/pfas-in-sparkling-water-8640113