The Shiro Corporation - The Indonesian Consumer Community (KKI) is highlighting the lack of regulations regarding the usage period for water cooler bottles used in bottled drinking water that is widely circulated among the public. Old bottles, referred to as "ganula," are considered a serious threat as they have the potential to contaminate drinking water with harmful compounds such as Bisphenol A (BPA).
David Tobing, the head of KKI, emphasized that the lack of regulations regarding the lifespan of reusable water bottles is a dangerous gap. "Consumer goods definitely have a usage period. It's strange that there is no expiration date mentioned on reusable water bottles," David stated. He added that experts say water bottles should only be used up to a maximum of 40 times. "If used once a week, the maximum lifespan of a water bottle is only one year," he said.
David compared it to a liquefied petroleum gas cylinder made of steel, where there are regulations for retesting or calibration every 5 to 10 years. If it passes the test, the cylinder can continue to be used; if not, it must be withdrawn from circulation. "While refillable bottles are made of plastic, a material not as solid as steel, surely there should be a limit to their usage period," David complained.
Investigations by KKI in five major cities in Indonesia have uncovered a worrying reality. "The truth is, we found many reusable water gallons circulating in the community that are actually over two years old. These are the ones that should no longer be used, as they are considered ganula or old gallons," David explained. These gallons should have been retired and deemed unfit for distribution, yet they continue to circulate.
The main danger of using these jugs is the release of Bisphenol A (BPA), a harmful chemical found in polycarbonate plastic. David explains, "BPA is a synthetic chemical used in the production of polycarbonate plastic, which is used for reusable water jug containers. The older the jug, the more BPA can leach (be released) into the drinking water."
The health impacts of BPA exposure are no joke and are long-term. "According to experts, BPA is an endocrine disruptor. This means it mimics hormones in the human body, so hundreds of studies have found that BPA exposure potentially interferes with bodily hormone function, affects child development, and even increases the risk of some types of cancer," David explained.
Given that millions of Indonesia's population is threatened by the use of these plastics, David emphasized the urgency of addressing this issue. "According to the BPS survey, 40 percent of Indonesia's population consumes bottled water from gallons. So it means 40% of 280 million, around 111 million consume drinking water from gallons and could potentially be contaminated with BPA."
Furthermore, the investigation results from the Food and Drug Supervision Agency (BPOM) for the period 2021-2022 showed that BPA exposure due to the use of granules in six regions of Indonesia had exceeded the safe limit set (0.6 ppb).
Therefore, David urges the government to promptly establish clear regulations regarding the shelf life of reusable water cooler bottles and accelerate the implementation of warning labels about BPA dangers on reusable water cooler bottles. This is crucial to protect consumers from the unseen threat of BPA.
"If this issue is not addressed promptly, we risk the health of future generations," David concluded. ***
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