Plastic in Our Bodies: Bluewater calls for more funding to study health risks of plastic pollution

Washington, DC, December 16, 2025 — Plastic pollution is no longer just an environmental problem. It is turning up inside the human body, and far too little is being done to understand what that means for our health, according to water purification and beverage company Bluewater.

The company – founded in Sweden in 2013 and now marketing its leading-edge water purifier and beverage solutions in North America – is calling for a significant expansion of research into the health impacts of micro- and nanoplastics, particularly those linked to single-use plastic bottles. The call comes amid growing fears about the effects of microplastics and nanoplastics on human health, in the wake of scary headlines about particles found in numerous products, ranging from sea salt to teabags and bottled water.

Scientists have already detected plastic particles in human blood, lungs, waste, and internal organs. At the same time, Americans consume billions of bottles of water each year. The average person uses around 167 plastic water bottles annually, many of which are not recycled, according to data from Worldmetrics. That level of consumption also raises concerns about exposure. One study cited by The National Institutes of Health (NIH), a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, found that a single one-litre bottle of water can contain as many as 240,000 microscopic plastic particles.

Many people choose bottled water, believing it is safer than tap water. Bluewater believes that assumption needs closer examination.

“Americans are ingesting plastic every day, largely without real awareness or choice,” said Niklas Ivarsson, President of Bluewater US. “Yet federal or other investment in understanding the long-term health effects is patchy and nowhere near what this issue demands.”

Microplastics are created as plastic products break down over time. People can ingest them through food and drink, inhale them, and possibly absorb them through the skin. Early studies have linked microplastics to inflammation, hormone disruption, immune system effects, and changes in gut bacteria. Researchers have also raised alarms about their potential to cross biological barriers and reach sensitive organs.

Public health experts warn that waiting for decades of data before acting could repeat mistakes made with substances such as leaded gasoline, PFAS, and asbestos, where harm was recognized only after widespread exposure.

Bluewater, which harnesses its own third-generation reverse osmosis tech called SuperiorOsmosis™, is calling on US authorities and scientific bodies, including the National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Environmental Protection Agency, to fund long-term population studies, standardize testing methods, and focus research on high-exposure groups, particularly 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 more information, please 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 aims to be the world’s most planet-friendly water purification and beverage company. The company designs hydration solutions for home, work and public settings, with products used by consumers, hospitality businesses, venues, events and educational institutions worldwide. Bluewater has received multiple international design and innovation awards, including two Fast Company World Changing Ideas Awards as well as GOOD DESIGN® Awards in 2024 and 2025. https://www.bluewatergroup.com