Bottled water → tap water in a steel bottle
Bottled water carries hundreds of thousands of plastic particles per litre. UK tap water is cheap and safe.
- Plastic avoided
- ≈ 3.0 kg a year
- Typical cost
- £12 – £35
- Swap from
- Bottled water
- Last reviewed
- 26 September 2026
How strong is the evidence?
How the dials work- Exposure evidenceHow strong is the evidence that the plastic version exposes you to microplastics or plastic chemicals?
- Moderate · 3/4
- Environmental evidenceHow strong is the evidence that this swap cuts environmental harm over the product's whole life?
- Strong · 4/4
- Claim verificationHow well has the alternative's plastic-free claim been verified?
- No product yet
Why swap
Researchers counted around 240,000 plastic particles per litre of bottled water, most of them nanoplastics. It is also the largest single source of plastic waste most households can cut.
What to look for
- Stainless steel bottle with a steel lid
- A glass carafe at home
- A jug filter only if you dislike the taste — most are plastic
Watch out for
- Most steel bottles have plastic lids that touch the water when you drink
- Aluminium bottles are usually lined with a polymer coating
Evidence and sources
More swaps in drinks & snacks
Plastic tea bags → loose-leaf or plastic-free bags
Many tea bags are sealed with polypropylene or made of plastic mesh. Hot water plus plastic, several times a day; how much reaches your cup is still debated.
High priority · about 120 g of plastic a year
Plastic coffee pods → cafetière or moka pot
One pod a day is over a kilo of hard-to-recycle packaging a year, and hot pressurised water runs through plastic.
High priority · about 1.0 kg of plastic a year
Takeaway coffee cups → reusable steel cup
Paper cups are lined with plastic and topped with a plastic lid, and they hold drinks at 80°C or more.
High priority · about 500 g of plastic a year