Swedish global water purification and beverage innovator Bluewater has called for an immediate ban on the sale of single-use plastic bottles after a global research study finds toxic PFAS chemicals present in practically all samples of bottled drinking water tested. The call is not just a response to the latest research but a call to action in the face of what Bluewater sees as a global crisis stemming from the presence of so-called ‘forever chemicals’ in drinking water, food, and air.

The new study saw researchers at the UK’s University of Birmingham and China’s Southern University of Science and Technology detect PFAS chemicals in tap water in major cities in Britain and China. Even more alarmingly, Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS)—two specific types of PFAS—were found in over 99 percent of bottled water samples from 15 countries, including the UK, France, Norway, Finland, China, Canada, Japan, and New Zealand.

Earlier this year, a Bluewater study found high levels of PFAS in different locations across London, the British capital, home to eight million people. PFAS, often referred to as “forever chemicals,” have been linked to a range of health issues, including increased blood cholesterol, hypertension, reduced immunity, reproductive complications, and an elevated risk of certain cancers.

“The latest research demands urgent global action to tackle the threats to the planet’s health and future generations posed not least by single-use plastic bottles and the water they contain, including banning the worst offenders from selling their products,” said Bluewater founder and CEO Bengt Rittri.

An acclaimed Swedish ecopreneur who founded air purification leader Blueair, which he sold to Unilever in 2016, Rittri said the new research was a wake-up call to governments worldwide to address bottled water production with over 600 billion single-use plastic bottles produced yearly. The evidence is that fewer than 15 percent of throwaway bottles are recycled, with the remainder ending up in landfills or oceans, leeching chemicals into the environment.

In light of the alarming findings which raise significant health concerns for consumers worldwide, Bluewater emphasizes the importance of creating safe tap water in a world where 40 percent of people worldwide are falling out of love with municipal water, fearing it is unsafe, according to a large US study this summer in 141 countries.

“These findings are a wake-up call for consumers and regulators alike,” said Bengt Rittri. ” He noted that while many authorities deem PFAS (per and poly-fluoroalkyl substances) and other chemicals in tap and bottled water acceptable due to their ‘low levels,’ there are growing concerns about the cumulative effects.

“PFAS are known for their persistence in the environment and the human body, leading to bioaccumulation. We know from research that even low-level exposure over time from different sources, including water, food, and air, may be linked to various health issues, including immune system effects, hormone disruption, and increased risk of certain cancers.’

Bluewater water purification technologies for home, work, and play are designed to provide healthier tap water quality, with third-party testing confirming that they effectively remove 99% of toxic chemicals such as PFAS, providing consumers with a solution to safeguard their well-being. Bluewater innovative purification and beverage solutions, which include sustainable re-usable bottles, empower individuals, communities, and businesses worldwide to take control of their water quality by harnessing the company’s next-generation SuperiorOsmosis™ technology, which removes up to 99.7 percent of contaminants.

“As awareness of these potential risks grows, it becomes increasingly important for more stringent regulations, better testing methods, and most importantly, increased transparency about contaminants in drinking water. Consumers are not just bystanders in this issue and need to be given the knowledge they need to protect themselves against contamination by PFAS and other chemicals,’ Mr Rittri said.