This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Over 1 million plastic water bottles are bought globally every minute. That translates into more than 1.3 billion every day and more than 500 billion every year.
That's a lot of plastic, and much of it winds up in human bodies and landfills. The long-term health implications are still unknown, but preliminary research shows risks to human health, with nano- and microplastics accumulating in our livers, kidneys and intestines. So what is driving this surge in plastic water bottle use?
In a survey of more than 15,000 people in 81 countries, Concordia researchers found that bottled-water consumption is shaped by a mix of demographic, infrastructure and geographic variables, including age, education, access to drinking water and exposure to advertising. Unlike previous nano- and microplastics studies that focused on the health hazards they pose, this new study, published in the Journal of Cleaner Production, looks at the factors that drive single-use plastic water bottle consumption even when people are aware of the risk. "The survey results show that awareness does not always change behavior," says Sarah Sajedi, Ph.D. 2026, the study's lead author.
"There is much more at play." Sajedi's supervisor, Chunjiang An, associate professor in the Department of Building, Civil and Environmental Engineering, co-authored the study. The researchers used social media to recruit study participants. Respondents filled out a 25-question survey about their bottled-water consumption and recycling habits, refillable bottle use, drinking water access, reasons for using plastic bottles, advertising exposure, environmental and health awareness, and demographic characteristics.
Most respondents were from the United States and Canada. In general, the researchers found that younger and more highly educated respondents were more likely to use single-use bottles than older respondents, believing them to be both more convenient and safer from waterborne microbes. Older respondents were more likely to carry refillable bottles, while younger respondents were more likely to recycle their bottles.
"Interestingly, 75% of respondents believed that single-use water bottles contained nano- and microplastics, and 70% believed that there was a connection between these plastics and cancer," says Sajedi. "The awareness is there—it just doesn't appear to have sunk in." The study also identified three distinct groups of bottled-water consumers: Identifying these different groups could help policymakers design more targeted approaches to reducing reliance on single-use plastic bottles, rather than treating all consumers in the same way, the researchers say. The study also highlights the importance of access to safe drinking water.
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