Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – Disposable gallons are an innovation that has begun to be used by a number of drinking water brands in Indonesia because they are considered more practical and hygienic than refillable gallons.
Until now, the use of disposable gallons still invites public debate. Some of the most popular cons regarding single-use gallons are that they are difficult to decompose, pollute the environment, and increase the amount of plastic waste.
Launching from Indonesia Good, plastic beverage packaging takes a long time to decompose in the soil, namely around 450 years. Thus, plastic beverage packaging is the waste that takes the longest to decompose.
Even though several brands have used Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) plastic with a plastic recycling code number so it is easy to recycle, the debate about single-use gallons still revolves around the impact on the environment.
Meanwhile, discussions regarding the impact on health are still rarely heard. Actually, are disposable gallons safe for body health?
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Photo: Gallon illustration (12/6/2019) (CNBC Indonesia/Muhammad Sabki)
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Internal medicine specialist, Dr. Aru Ariadno, revealed that all types of gallons, namely refillable gallons and disposable gallons, are still considered safe as storage containers for mineral water consumed by the public.
According to Dr. Aru, the main factor that influences the safety level of the gallon is the cleanliness of the gallon. Apart from that, the way gallons are filled and stored also affects human health.
“Whether a gallon is safe or not depends on whether the contents are sterile or not, the gallon container is clean or not, and the material from which the gallon is made is safe or not for consumption,” said Dr. Aru to CNBC Indonesia, Thursday (26/10/2023).
“Both gallons can be equally good for health as long as they meet all existing health requirements, both in terms of ingredients, how to fill them, the water and how to store them,” he added.
Dr. Aru said that disposable gallons have advantages and disadvantages. Meanwhile, the advantage of disposable gallons is that they tend to be cleaner compared to refillable gallons. Meanwhile, the drawback is that it can pollute the environment and contain microplastics.
Currently, most people tend not to want to use disposable gallons because they are worried about the microplastic solution from the gallons. Responding to this, Dr. Aru suggests using a special dispenser.
“This is a problem in the environment today. Microplastics. Currently there are dispensers with microplastic filters. So you can use microplastic filters if you can,” said Dr. Aru.
“The point is that it’s not just the gallon, but also the water that is filled in. Is it [galon] well managed, not polluted, and so on. “Hopefully the water source is not polluted by microplastic waste,” he continued.
Impact of Microplastics on Health
Dr. Aru revealed that microplastics are foreign objects that cannot be digested or absorbed by the body. Therefore, microplastic deposits as foreign objects can cause irritation which can develop into cancer.
“When [endapan mikroplastik] If left too long, inflammation will occur which can trigger tumors and even cancer. “This may then cause diseases, such as cancer, which are currently increasing,” concluded Dr. Aru.
[Gambas:Video CNBC]
(hsy/hsy)