The question of microplastics in bottled water has moved from niche conversation to scientific agenda. Recent studies have converged on orders of magnitude that command attention — plastic particles present in virtually all PET-bottled waters analysed. The findings deserve to be presented without anti-plastic militancy, but also without minimization.
What is known today
A study from Columbia University, published in the journal PNAS in 2024, estimated about 240,000 plastic particles per litre in PET-bottled water — about 90% of them nanoparticles. Earlier surveys had already confirmed their presence, with still-limited data on long-term effects. The convergence is clear as to the fact; the magnitude of the risk remains under study.
Where microplastics come from
From the PET bottle itself, which releases particles over time through friction, heat and handling; from the plastic cap and the seal; from the bottling line, with its hoses and connections; and, to a lesser degree, from environmental contamination reaching the source water.
What glass changes
The glass bottle does not release microplastics. The cap depends on the material — a metal screw cap with a seal is better than a plastic cap — and the bottling line may still have plastic components, so a minimal residual contamination exists. Even so, glass drastically reduces exposure compared to PET.
How much it matters
From a regulatory standpoint, the measurement of microplastics is not yet required, and no limit has been established. From the consumer's standpoint, the precautionary principle already justifies the preference for glass. And in fine dining, glass has been the standard for decades — predating the microplastics agenda. A happy coincidence, not an argument built for the occasion.
AWA's choice, and the broader context
AWA has operated in glass since its founding. Not as a sustainability banner, but out of coherence with the fine-dining category — the reduction of microplastics is an added benefit, not the primary reason. A matter of honest scale is worth noting: microplastics are in the air, in food, in tap water. Eliminating exposure is impossible; reducing it is feasible. Water in glass is a gesture of marginal reduction, which makes sense alongside others, without drama.