Berlin – February 05, 2018: The European Union has made a crucial step towards creating a plastic-free planet with its announcement on transitioning towards a more circular economy. This news was welcomed by consumers and industries alike. Single-use plastic bottles are the biggest source of plastic waste. In recent decades, government agencies, businesses, and citizens around the world are gradually waking up to water crises and challenges triggered by plastic waste. In Europe, tap water has been an issue - contrary to popular belief. More often than not, tap water comes contaminated with plastic fibres, hormones, organic and inorganic compounds. This added political pressure by the European Union is an important resource in ensuring a sustainable future for us all. “We have a shared responsibility to preserve a viable environment for ourselves and future generations. Unfortunately, we are already consuming the wasteful by-products of our industry. Besides pollutants like pharmaceuticals, radioactive substances, and heavy metals, micro-plastics have been found in 72% of tap water in Europe as per the report published by The Guardian recently. In fact, these fibres are contaminating our air too. These signs are a call for us to take urgent action, and we are at the forefront of this change”, says Moritz Waldstein, CEO and Co-Founder of Mitte. A million plastic bottles are bought around the world every minute and the number will jump another 20% by 2021, creating an environment crisis some campaigners predict will be as serious as climate change. It has become clear that the purchase of plastic bottles is an untenable concept. Berlin-based startup Mitte nips this issue in the bud. The team is on a mission to improve lives with sustainable and innovative technology. Mitte has built first of its kind smart water system that enables users to turn tap water into purified and personalized mineral water right in their homes. Its proprietary purification technology cleans water to an unmatched degree and enhances it with minerals to create healthy water for drinking. Through providing safe and healthy water for users at home, Mitte’s product curbs plastic waste by eliminating the need for bottled mineral water completely. Mitte’s approach from the outset was to design and develop a product that can give everyone access to healthy water while putting a stop to plastic pollution. With the European Union declaring war on plastic waste, the Mitte team is proud to be a part of this collective effort.