Looking for Safe Drinking Water in Medan City
The results of BPA testing conducted by the BPOM during the 2021-2022 period showed the BPA content in a water gallon sold in the six regions exceeded the threshold of 0.6 parts per million (ppm).
Drinking water in gallons is sold at a mini market in Medan, North Sumatra, on Tuesday (13/9/2022).
The finding of Bisphenol-A (BPA) in drinking water sold in gallons in six areas makes it more difficult for Medan residents to find safe and healthy drinking water. The lack of a tap-water supply makes residents depend on water gallons.
The findings of BPA in drinking water sold in gallons in six areas makes it more difficult for Medan residents to find safe and healthy drinking water. The lack of a piped water supply makes residents depend on water gallons.
Jahasiel Tarigan, 32, a resident of Padang Bulan, Medan Selayang subdistrict, Medan City, North Sumatra, was surprised to hear information about the findings of exposure to BPA chemicals in drinking water sold in gallons. The Food and Drug Administration (BPOM) has found exposure to BPA in water gallons in a number of cities including Medan, Bandung (West Java), Jakarta, Manado (North Sulawesi), Banda Aceh (Aceh) and Aceh Tengah (Aceh) has exceeded the threshold.
“Our family has used water gallons for a long time, because we think it is safe and healthy. We don’t have a choice, because tap water is sometimes dirty and it smells. Because of that, we have to look elsewhere for water," said Jahasiel.
In Medan, it was found that the BPA content was 0.9 ppm.
The results of BPA testing conducted by the BPOM during the 2021-2022 period showed the BPA content in a water gallon sold in the six regions exceeded the threshold of 0.6 parts per million (ppm). In Medan, it was found that the BPA content was 0.9 ppm.
BPA is a plastic hardener chemical used to produce gallon packaging made from polycarbonate.
Exposure to BPA has been found in the post-production process and during the distribution from the factory to consumers.
Excess BPA exposure in water is dangerous. Besides being able to interfere with the reproductive system and cardiovascular system, BPA can also trigger cancer, diabetes, obesity and kidney disease. Brain development is also impaired, especially in children.
A shop visitor passes near bottled water in gallons being sold at a mini market in Medan, North Sumatra, on Tuesday (13/9/2022).
Paskah Michael, 30, a resident of the Medan Baru subdistrict, was also worried after hearing about the exposure to BPA in water gallons. Even though Paskah has access to tap water from the Tirta Nadi regional tap water company (PDAM), he still prefers water gallons.
“The PDAM's tap water has sediment and sometimes smells. So, we're not using it for drinking. So far, we have been forced to buy water gallons,” he said.
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Paskah did not suspect that water gallons contained chemicals. The finding of BPA in water gallons in six areas makes it more difficult for Medan residents to find safe and healthy drinking water. The lack of tap water supply makes residents depend on water gallons. Because water gallons are more expensive than PDAM tap water, he believes its production and distribution is carried out with high health and safety standards. Water gallons are widely used because it is more practical and the water does not need to be boiled.
Penny unveiled the plan after meeting with academics, practitioners and members of the House of Representatives (DPR) to discuss the findings of BPA in water gallons sold in six regions.
The head of the BPOM, Penny Lukito, said in Jakarta on Tuesday (7/6/2022) that due to the findings of BPA in water gallons, the BPOM will require the use of a warning label on polycarbonate beverage packaging types, including water gallons. Penny unveiled the plan after meeting with academics, practitioners and members of the House of Representatives (DPR) to discuss the findings of BPA in water gallons sold in six regions.
Penny also said that the BPOM and a number of parties had since 2021 discussed the revision of BPOM’s regulation Number 31 of 2018 concerning processed food labels. “This regulation has been revised and has been submitted to the Cabinet Secretariat. Such chemical exposure is a strong basis why it must be responded with regulations,” she said.
The head of the Center for Drug and Food Control at the BPOM branch in Medan, Martin Suhendri, said they were also educating producers and distributors to better handle the distribution of the water gallons in order to suppress BPA migration. The principle is to avoid ultraviolet radiation, impact, scratches and friction during washing. BPA migration is also affected by the thickness, weight and age of the water gallon.
"It is very important to educate the public, especially regarding the handling of water gallons from producers, distributors, retailers to consumers," said Martin.
Gallon bottled drinking water is sold at a shop in Medan, North Sumatra, on Wednesday (14/9/2022).
As observed by Kompas, BPA migration may occur along the distribution of water gallons from producers to consumers. Packaged drinking water in Medan is treated and filled into water gallons at factories located near springs in mountainous areas, such as in Karo regency, North Sumatra. From the factory, the water gallons are transported to the distributor's warehouse in Medan by a pickup truck so it is exposed to the sun. They are then transported to wholesalers or retailers by a pickup truck.
Bonus
Arriving at the store or retail kiosk, some of the water gallons are arranged on the terrace so they are exposed to direct sunlight. Water gallons are delivered to consumers' homes using open motorized tricycles or motorbikes.
Murdelina Nainggolan, 40, a shop owner on Jl. Mayjen DI Panjaitan, Medan, said that the distributor had never informed about the right procedures in the handling of water gallons. She left water gallons
stacked in front of the shop that were exposed to the sun, from morning until noon. "We even get a bonus from the distributor if we display the product in front of the store," said Murdelina.
According to Murdelina, bumps and scratches are unavoidable when unloading water gallons from the truck into the shop. The distributor hired only two workers to unload 200 gallons into her shop. They unloaded the gallons from the top of the truck using a plank so they hit the floor.
Evi Naria, a lecturer at the School of Public Health in the University of North Sumatra, said in a workshop in Medan that the use of bottled water continued to increase from year to year.
Currently, the number of consumers of water gallons reaches 85 million people.
Because of the lack of a tap water supply, water gallons are more practical. They can be served faster, it is more convenient and easy to use. Currently, the number of consumers of water gallons reaches 85 million people. The production of bottled drinking water is about 21 billion liters per year and 2 percent of it is water gallons. "So far, 96.4 percent of the water gallon material is polycarbonate, but only 3.6 percent of the packaging is BPA-free," said Evi.
Therefore, the protection of consumers drinking from water gallons is very important and urgent. Water gallon producers should pay more attention to the consumers’ safety by complying with health standards.
(This article was translated by Hedarsyah Tarmizi)
