Microplastics in Water: The Invisible Ingredient We’re All Avoiding
August 11, 2025 · 2 min read
Bottled water now contains up to 240,000 plastic fragments per litre. Here’s what the science says and how glass plus a reuse loop keeps microscopic waste out.
A 2024 Columbia University study found between 110,000 and 240,000 nanoplastic particles per litre in leading bottled water brands. These fragments are measured in billionths of a metre, small enough to bypass many filtration membranes and interact with living cells.
Municipal systems remove larger debris, but the final container plays a major role. Plastic flexes during shipping, warms on loading docks, and sheds microscopic particles into the water we eventually drink.
What microplastics do inside the body
Human research is ongoing, but the precautionary principle suggests reducing exposure whenever possible, especially in the "last mile" between treatment plant and drinking glass.
- Mimic hormone activity by transporting endocrine-disrupting chemicals.
- Carry heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants as they migrate through the bloodstream.
- Trigger localised inflammation in gut tissue, based on early gastroenterology studies.
Why Velah anchors on glass
Velah bottles are laboratory-rinsed, steam-sanitised, and capped with stainless steel, so water never touches plastic. After each route, bottles return to our facility, are inspected under light, and recirculated through the deposit loop.
For households and offices managing microplastic exposure, swapping pallets of single-use bottles for a predictable glass delivery removes the major source of fragments right at the point of use.
Explore how Velah’s deposit system keeps pure water circulating in glass across Dubai.