Arsenic Found in This Product From Whole Foods and Dr. Pepper
Despite health warnings and hazardous environmental impact, bottled water is still being consumed in large quantities across the country. Previous testing conducted by the Environmental Working Group showed nearly 40 low-level contaminants in bottled water, including Tylenol, nitrates, industrial chemicals and arsenic.
![plastic]()
Years later, bottled water brands are still tainted with dangerous substances. According to a new report, an investigation into arsenic levels in popular brands of water found 11 brands out of 130 had detectable amounts of arsenic in them.
The investigation found four bottled water brands that contained detectable levels of arsenic (below 3 parts per billion) and six brands that contained arsenic levels of 3 ppb or higher. The six brands that contained the highest amount of arsenic include:
- Peñafiel — owned by Keurig Dr. Pepper
- Starkey — owned by Whole Foods
- Crystal Geyser Alpine Spring Water
- Volvic — owned by Danone
- Crystal Creamery
- EartH₂O
The scariest finding by far, is that the Peñafiel brand — owned by Keurig Dr. Pepper — contained an average of 17 ppb. After the investigation findings were released, the company said it would suspend bottled water production for a period of two weeks at its Mexico facility that makes Peñafiel water for export to the United States. Despite the fact that, in 2001, the EPA lowered the maximum level of arsenic permitted in drinking water to 10 ppb, the company did not announce a recall.
Inorganic arsenic is a powerful carcinogen that has been linked to an increased risk of several types of cancer. Chronic arsenic exposure can also cause skin lesions, kidney damage and failure, increased risk of diabetes, adverse liver and respiratory effects and more.
Between the pharmacy of dangerous containments in bottled water and the health risks associated with plastic, bottled water should be avoided whenever possible. To ensure your drinking water is safe, purchase and install at water filter for your home. Do your research on different types of water filtration systems and choose the one that makes the most sense for you and your family. Some of the most common options include reverse osmosis, ion exchange and granular carbon and carbon block filters.