Washington, DC, Plastic pollution is no longer only an environmental concern; it is increasingly being found inside the human body, and far too little is being done to understand what this means for human health, according to water purification and beverage company Bluewater.
Founded in Sweden in 2013 and now marketing its advanced water purification and beverage solutions across North America, Bluewater is urging a major expansion of research into the health impacts of microplastics and nanoplastics, particularly those associated with single-use plastic bottles. The call follows growing alarm over microplastic and nanoplastic contamination, driven by troubling reports of plastic particles found in everyday products such as sea salt, teabags and bottled water.
Scientists have already identified plastic particles in human blood, lungs, waste and internal organs. Meanwhile, Americans consume billions of bottles of water each year, with the average person using around 167 plastic water bottles annually, many of which are never recycled, according to Worldmetrics data.
This level of consumption heightens concerns about daily exposure, especially as one study cited by the National Institutes of Health found that a single one-litre bottle of water can contain up to 240,000 microscopic plastic particles. While many consumers choose bottled water believing it to be safer than tap water, Bluewater argues that this assumption deserves closer scrutiny.
“Americans are ingesting plastic every day, largely without real awareness or choice,” said Niklas Ivarsson, President of Bluewater US. “Yet federal and other investment into understanding the long-term health impacts is fragmented and nowhere near the scale this issue requires.”
Microplastics are formed as plastic materials degrade over time and can enter the body through food and drink, inhalation and potentially through skin contact. Early research has linked microplastics to inflammation, hormone disruption, immune system effects and changes to gut bacteria, while scientists have also warned of their ability to cross biological barriers and reach sensitive organs.
Public health experts caution that delaying action until decades of data are available risks repeating past mistakes seen with substances such as leaded petrol, PFAS and asbestos, where harm was acknowledged only after widespread exposure.
Bluewater, which uses its proprietary third-generation reverse osmosis technology known as SuperiorOsmosis™, is calling on US authorities and scientific institutions including the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Environmental Protection Agency to fund long-term population studies, standardise testing protocols and prioritise research into high-exposure groups, especially children.
“This is not inevitable,” Ivarsson said. “If we act now, we can avoid discovering the true health costs of plastic years from now, when the damage has already been done.”
For further information, contact Niklas Ivarsson, President Bluewater USA Inc, at Niklas.Ivarsson@BluewaterGroup.com or +1 (323) 747-4650.
About Bluewater: Founded in 2013 in Stockholm, Sweden, Bluewater’s ambition is to become the world’s most planet-friendly water purification and beverage company. The company designs hydration solutions for homes, workplaces and public environments, serving consumers, hospitality businesses, venues, events and educational institutions worldwide.
Bluewater has received multiple international design and innovation accolades, including two Fast Company World Changing Ideas Awards and GOOD DESIGN® Awards in 2024 and 2025.
Topics include business enterprise, retail, lifestyle, technology, new products and services, studies and environmental issues, with categories covering water purification, Bluewater water purifiers, Bluewater SuperiorOsmosis and microplastic pollution.
Founded in 2013 in Stockholm, Sweden, Bluewater continues to pursue its mission to be the world’s most planet-friendly water purification and beverage company by developing and marketing disruptive hydration solutions for home, work and leisure, with products available globally to consumers, hospitality operators, event and venue organisations and educational institutions.