‘It’s toxic and it’s everywhere – Drinking plastic bottled water is bad'
Big Zuu pleads with Leeds to veto plastic water bottles as research reveals alarming data.
- Leeds’ annual consumption of bottled water could tower 247,694 times higher than the Town Hall when stacked vertically.
- New microscopic technique reveals nanoplastics in bottled water that pass into the blood, cells, and brain.
- Bottled water can contain hundreds of thousands of these previously uncounted tiny plastic bits.
British TV Chef and rapper Big Zuu is exposing the truth behind plastic water pollution in Leeds, revealing we’re at risk of consuming billions of nanoplastics each year. The project, ‘Plastic Unpacked’, spotlights the true impact of plastic on UK consumers, and is so shocking it inspired the creation of Big Zuu’s own eco-canned water brand, Drip.
‘Plastic Unpacked’ sees Big Zuu and the eco-experts behind Drip urging Leeds to switch its drinking habits to a safer alternative and avoid millions of microplastics and tiny, invisible nanoplastics that are found in each of the 85 million plastic water bottles consumed by Leeds citizens each year.
Big Zuu comments, “I don’t think people realise how bad plastic packaging is. The research is there but it’s hidden. I want to change that. We’ve all fallen victim to greenwashing and we’ve had enough. It’s time we all learnt the true impact of plastic packaging on the environment and our health. Leeds is a major UK city, and its plastic water bottle consumption is serious. It’s important that we reveal the truth and let this vibrant city make healthier decisions when it comes to water.”
Ever since discovering the truth behind plastic packaged water, Big Zuu has been inspired to make a difference and make the nation aware of the alarming reality: “I used to choose plastic water bottles without much thought, thinking I was making a good, natural choice for my body. When I discovered the truth, I couldn’t stand by and do nothing, so I partnered with an eco-packaging expert to create Drip and provide people with a canned-from-source alternative.”
Initial research into the nature of nanoplastics shows that they are small enough to pass directly into the bloodstream and from there into vital organs such as the brain, heart, and even the placenta, affecting unborn babies. The medical science community is currently racing to investigate the potentially wide effects on the biological system.
In addition to the impact on the human body, the levels of plastic water bottle pollution in the UK remain a key concern.
Current estimates show that 27% of single use bottles are being incinerated, going to landfill or polluting the UK’s waterways and eco system. This leaves over 22.9 million plastic bottles polluting Leeds’ waterways and ecosystem in this area alone.