March  15,  2018     IBWA  response  to  Orb  Media  research  claiming  to  have  found   microplastic  particles  in  bottled  water       The  non-­‐peer  reviewed  study  released  by  Orb  Media  is  not  based  on  sound  science,  and   there  is  no  scientific  consensus  on  testing  methodology  or  the  potential  health  impacts   of  microplastic  particles.  Therefore,  this  study’s  findings  do  nothing  more  than   unnecessarily  scare  consumers.         Scientific  experts  in  the  field  told  the  BBC  News,  “The  particles  below  100  microns  had   not  been  identified  as  plastic”  [emphasis  added]  and  that  “since  the  alternatives  would   not  be  expected  in  bottled  water,  they  could  be  described  as  probably  plastic"   [emphasis  added].  Those  not-­‐identified  substances  made  up  the  vast  majority  of   particles  counted.  The  study  even  acknowledged  that  the  make-­‐up  of  those  particles   was  not  confirmed  but  could  "rationally  expected  to  be  plastic.”     The  study’s  “probably  plastic”  findings  are  weak  at  best  and  reporting  it  as  news  is   alarmist  and  not  responsible  journalism.     Microplastic  particles  are  found  everywhere  –  soil,  air,  and  water.  And,  as  the  report   states,  currently  there  is  no  evidence  that  microplastics  can  cause  harm  to  consumers.     Orb  Media  is  not  an  objective  news  outlet.  In  the  past,  Orb  Media  has  shown  itself  to  be   an  organization  that  has  preconceived  positions  on  issues  and  produces  studies  that   support  its  point  of  view.       Consumers  can  remain  confident  that  bottled  water  products,  like  all  food  and   beverages,  are  strictly  regulated  by  the  U.S.  Food  and  Drug  Administration  and,  thus,  are   safe  for  consumption.  The  bottled  water  industry  is  committed  to  providing  consumers   with  the  safest  and  highest  quality  products.     Provided  below  are  additional  points,  in  more  detail  on  this  study:       • The  Orb  Media-­‐sponsored  research  focuses  solely  on  bottled  water  products.   However,  it  is  important  to  note  that  thousands  of  other  food  and  beverage   products  also  use  plastic  containers  and,  perhaps  even  more  important,  that   microplastic  particles  are  found  in  all  aspects  of  our  environment  –  soil,  air  and   water.     • To  date,  there  is  no  applicable  regulatory  framework  or  scientific  consensus  with   respect  to  the  adequate  testing  methodology  or  potential  impacts  of   2     • • • • •       microplastic  particles,  which  could  be  found  in  any  bottling  environment.       There  is  no  scientific  consensus  on  the  potential  health  impacts  of  microplastic   particles.  The  data  on  the  topic  is  limited  and  conclusions  differ  dramatically   from  one  study  to  another.   However,  a  recent  scientific  study  published  in  the  peer-­‐reviewed  journal  Water   Research  in  February  2018  concluded  that  no  statistically  relevant  amount  of   microplastic  can  be  found  in  water  in  single-­‐use  plastic  bottles.  (Analysis  of   microplastics  in  water  by  micro-­‐Raman  spectroscopy:  Release  of  plastic  particles   from  different  packaging  into  mineral  water  by  Schymanski  et  al.)       Orb  Media’s  position  on  microplastics  seems  to  be  based  on  the  faulty  premise   that  if  this  substance  is  found  in  a  bottled  water  product  that  it  presents  a  health   concern,  even  if  no  regulatory  standard  has  been  established.  Because  there  is   no  scientific  consensus  about  the  potential  health  impacts  of  microplastic   particles,  the  US  Food  and  Drug  Administration  (FDA)  has  not  issued  any   regulations  concerning  these  substances  in  foods  and  beverages.  Any  regulatory   action  concerning  microplastic  particles  would  need  to  be  based  on  sound   science,  including  demonstrating  a  correlation  between  the  levels  of  this   substance  found  in  foods  and  beverages  and  any  potential  adverse  health   effects.       Despite  the  claims  about  microplastics  by  Orb  Media,  consumers  can  remain   confident  in  the  safety  and  quality  of  their  bottled  water  products.  Bottled   water,  as  a  packaged  food  product,  is  strictly  and  comprehensively  regulated  by   the  U.S.  Food  and  Drug  Administration  (FDA).  All  bottled  water  products  are   produced  utilizing  a  multi-­‐barrier  approach.  From  source  to  finished  product,  a   multi-­‐barrier  approach  helps  prevent  possible  harmful  contamination  to  the   finished  product  as  well  as  storage,  production,  and  transportation  equipment.   Many  of  the  steps  in  a  multi-­‐barrier  system  are  effective  in  safeguarding  bottled   water  from  microbiological  and  other  contamination.  Measures  in  a  multi-­‐barrier   approach  may  include  one  or  more  of  the  following:  source  protection,  source   monitoring,  reverse  osmosis,  distillation,  micro-­‐filtration,  carbon  filtration,   ozonation,  and  ultraviolet  (UV)  light.     As  always,  the  bottled  water  industry  is  committed  to  providing  consumers  with   the  safest  and  highest  quality  products  and  we  are  following  any  scientific   developments  on  this  subject  closely.