A solution to microplastic contamination in drinking water?
25/04/2018
“Single-use plastic bottles have long posed an environmental threat,” said Alison Hill, managing director of LifeStraw. “With recent reports on the affect bottled water has on human health, we have a responsibility to provide alternatives for safe hydration for consumers as well as communities in need and to minimise single-use plastic bottle pollution.”
The report Ms Hill was referring to is based on two recent studies carried out by Orb Media, a non-profit journalism organisation. They found that 93% of bottled water and 83% of tap water is contaminated with microplastics.
The bottled water study examined 259 bottles from 100 brands across 19 locations in nine countries. It found an average of 325 microplastic particles in every litre of water sold.
LifeStraw explained it has independently tested its single-stage and two-stage filtration systems and found a microplastics removal rate of 99.999%. Its products also remove bacteria and chemicals.
LifeStraw is a subsidiary of Switzerland-based company Vestergaard. It introduced its first product in 1996, a filter designed to remove Guinea worm larvae from water following an outbreak of Guinea worm disease.
It now offers a range of products, including a travel-friendly “straw” water filter, a refillable water bottle with integrated, replaceable filter technology, and a water bottle designed for children.
LifeStraw has said that one of its products can provide up to 8,000 water bottles worth of safe drinking water, reducing the the need for single-use plastic bottles.
As part of its ‘Giving Back Through Retail’ programme, for every product purchased, LifeStraw provides one child in a community in need with safe drinking water for an entire year.
Share this story:
