The raging debate over the use of plastic for pet food and water bowls has focused almost exclusively on the direct negative effects of plastic on the animals that use those bowls, particularly in pet water bowls and in the area of pet water bowls, in particular in cat waterers.
It’s long been known that plastic water bowls can cause chin acne in cats, which can manifest symptoms ranging from blackheads to large oozing pustules and full-blown swelling of the lips, but either because of the plastic itself or the fact that the plastic acts as a magnet for the bacteria that accumulate in the scratches that invariably occur in the plastic are not clear. The bottom line of most vets is “stay away from plastic water bowls,” and not just because of the possibility of chin acne.
According to the Ecology Center, an online resource on ecological and community issues, an online resource center, the list of serious negative effects of direct plastic toxicity is enormous and extreme. Some of them are:
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC); Cancer, birth defects, skin diseases, liver dysfunction
Of DEHP, DINP and other plastic components; Endocrine dysfunction, asthma, developmental defects
Polycarbonate with Bisphenol A #7; Cancer, immune impairment, diabetes
And the list goes on specifying more than half a dozen other components of plastics and their associated negative effects.
But all of this is just one aspect of the dangers of plastic and the use of plastic items. “One of the main problems with plastic,” the Ecology Center tells us, “besides there being so much of it, is that it doesn’t biodegrade. No natural process can break it down.”
The negative results of this fact are immeasurable. Marine life is particularly affected (much plastic ends up in the ocean), including albatrosses. “Two hundred thousand albatrosses die each year, many of them because their parents feed them plastic and mistake it for food,” says a Los Angeles Times article.
The negative effects of plastics begin with their production and the tons of pollutants that enter the atmosphere, and continue, potentially, for thousands of years. Plastic is so strong that even burying it deep in the ground doesn’t prevent it from impacting the environment. It currently represents approximately 10 percent of the waste generated, most of which is deposited in landfills. But putting plastics in a landfill may simply be storing a problem for the future, as the chemicals in the plastic often sink into nearby soil and contaminate groundwater.
In addition, the production of plastics is a major user of fossil fuels. Eight percent of the world’s oil production goes to the manufacture of plastics.
Of course, plastics have become a necessity and can be an excellent material for long-lasting products, but many plastic items are intended for single or short-term use and many items that do not need to be made of plastic (there are other materials available) and better in many ways, they have been shown to be harmful to pets and humans. Pet fountains are among them.
In some consumer areas and for many products, we don’t have a choice, but where we do, we must exercise our best judgment and avoid plastics that could harm us or our pets. Plastics Europe’s Neal said consumers, not industry, are responsible. “From my point of view, the responsibility falls squarely and fairly on the consumer,” he said.
In the realm of pet fountains, there are metal, glass, and ceramic bowls and fountains, and any of these are a much healthier option than a plastic pet fountain. Not only will you and your pet be safe from the harmful effects of a plastic fountain, but you won’t be contributing to the pollution of the planet when the plastic fountain stops working and needs to be disposed of.
Beche’s recommended materials for pet fountains by most veterinarians are ceramics. He listed two ceramic pet fountains, one from Candace McCollough Pottery and one from cat fountains on Etsy.
