首页
外语
计算机
考研
公务员
职业资格
财经
工程
司法
医学
专升本
自考
实用职业技能
登录
考研
Bottled water has gone from a convenience to an alternative drinking-water system, with about a third of Americans choosing it o
Bottled water has gone from a convenience to an alternative drinking-water system, with about a third of Americans choosing it o
admin
2022-09-20
104
问题
Bottled water has gone from a convenience to an alternative drinking-water system, with about a third of Americans choosing it over tap water most or all of the time. Why? More than 90% of those buying bottled water cite "safety" and "quality" as the reasons, but while it’s true that it can indeed be safe, this isn’t always the case.
According to a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report from 2009, the most recent data available, about 70% of the bottled water sold in the U. S. was not subject to Food and Drug Administration ( FDA)regulation. That’s because if water is bottled and sold in the same state, as is the case for some smaller labels, it’s considered intrastate commerce and is therefore regulated by the state. This isn’t necessarily a problem—some states’ regulations are stricter than the FDA’s—but the GAO report also said these rules can be less comprehensive than those for tap water, which must comply with the Safe Drinking Water Act, administered by the Environmental Protection Agency. Bottled water under the FDA’s purview may not get the scrutiny you expect either. Bottled water was an $ 18. 5 billion (wholesale) industry in the U. S. in 2017, but under Presidents of both parties, FDA oversight has been lightly staffed. Furthermore, the agency allows bottlers to fill bottles with tap water. While the water is usually treated, this is not a guarantee.
This isn’t to say you should worry that every bottle of water you drink is contaminated. Rather, a better understanding of how the industry works is important for public health. Major bottled-water suppliers like Nestle, Coca-Cola and PepsiCo, as well as prestige brands like Fiji and Perrier, have an
incentive
to do all they can to sell safe drinking water. At a minimum, they want to make sure that their brands are not injured by a loss of reputation. But there are hundreds of bottled-water brands, and some lesser-known bottlers—working on tiny profit margins—may not share the concern of the most recognizable ones. Because they don’t have to worry about public confidence in their brand name, they can stop using one label and start selling under another without changing the source.
A scientifically rigorous study from 1999 by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) , which tested three samples of more than 100 bottled-water brands, revealed that about a third of the bottles examined had levels of bacteria or chemical contaminants above state or industry standards or guidelines. Erik D. Olson, senior director for health and food at NRDC, believes a similar test today would yield similar results, but says he can’t say for sure without additional monitoring. As an example of ongoing problems, he cites a recent investigation by Consumer Reports that found several brands of bottled water contained potentially unsafe levels of arsenic.
The bottles themselves can also present a health concern, as only a small percentage of all bottled water sold in the U. S. is bottled and shipped in a stable material like glass. Even if the water that fills a plastic bottle is pure, if it sits long enough—and especially if it’s stored in a hot place—there’s a risk of phthalates and other chemical agents in the plastic leaching into the water. Phthalates are endocrine-disrupting agents that pose special threats to pregnant women and young kids.
Given the potential risks of bottled water and the pervasive fears about tap, consumers may feel they have nowhere to turn. The answer lies in improving the nation’s drinking-water infrastructure through advanced filtration systems—and publicizing that effort—so tap water becomes a more appealing option. No one likes paying over 300 times more than they have to, so by fixing tap water, a virtuous circle would be created: less trash, a better environment, cheaper water, better national health—and the peace of mind that will come from knowing that drinking water is safe.
The word "incentive" (Line 4, Para. 3 ) probably means_________.
选项
A、responsibility
B、motivation
C、conviction
D、resolution
答案
B
解析
词汇题。根据题干的提示可定位于第三段第四行。
转载请注明原文地址:https://kaotiyun.com/show/EPmZ777K
0
考研英语一
相关试题推荐
WhenItrytounderstand______thatpreventssomanyAmericansfrombeingashappyasmightexpect,itseemstomethatthereare
InAmericaalone,tippingisnowa$16billion-a-yearindustry.Arecentpollshowedthat40%ofAmericans【C1】______thepractice
InAmericaalone,tippingisnowa$16billion-a-yearindustry.Arecentpollshowedthat40%ofAmericans【C1】______thepractice
Maybeunemploymentisn’tsobadafterall.Anewstudysaysthathavingademanding,unstableandthanklessjobmaymakeyoueve
Maybeunemploymentisn’tsobadafterall.Anewstudysaysthathavingademanding,unstableandthanklessjobmaymakeyoueve
Maybeunemploymentisn’tsobadafterall.Anewstudysaysthathavingademanding,unstableandthanklessjobmaymakeyoueve
Maybeunemploymentisn’tsobadafterall.Anewstudysaysthathavingademanding,unstableandthanklessjobmaymakeyoueve
Maybeunemploymentisn’tsobadafterall.Anewstudysaysthathavingademanding,unstableandthanklessjobmaymakeyoueve
Maybeunemploymentisn’tsobadafterall.Anewstudysaysthathavingademanding,unstableandthanklessjobmaymakeyoueve
随机试题
子宫脱垂的非手术治疗方法包括________、________、________。
糖皮质激素采用隔日疗法可避免
王先生,65岁,高血压8年。病人睡眠中突感极度胸闷、气急、大汗、咳嗽、咳痰带血,端坐呼吸,BP180/110mmHg,HR110次/分。该病人长期血压增高容易引起哪些脏器的并发症
危重病人病情恶化的最主要指征是
A市甲企业委托B市乙企业加工一批应税消费品,该批消费品应缴税款应由乙企业向B市税务机关解缴。( )
12,3,4,2,2,1,()。
磷酸铁(FePO4.2H2O难溶于水的米白色固体)可用于生产药物、食品添加剂和锂离子电池的正极材料,实验室可通过下列实验制备磷酸铁。向滤液中加入一定量H2O2氧化Fe2+。为确定加入H2O2的量,需先用K2Cr2O7标准溶液滴定滤液中的Fe2+,离子方
过去十年,地产一直是民间大额财富主要配置对象,经济也依靠地产黄金十年和基建投资实现腾飞。但伴随行业供过于求、政策收紧以及经济结构转型,地产黄金十年荡然无存。《每日经济新闻》记者注意到,平安证券研报称,1998年取消住房实物分配以来,中国商品房市场
G={(x,y)|x2+y2≤r2}是以原点为圆心,半径为r的圆形区域,而随机变量X和Y的联合分布是在区域G上的均匀分布.试确定随机变量X和Y的独立性和相关性.
ThelargepopulationsandimpressiveculturalachievementsoftheAztecs,theMayas,andtheIncascouldnothavecomeaboutwit
最新回复
(
0
)