A beverage expert has urged people to reduce their carbon footprint by drinking tap water rather than buying more expensive bottled water.Dr Carrie Ruxton from the Tea Advisory Panel (Tap) described British tap water as "good quality" that reduces waste from plastic bottles. "I'm a great fan of tap water," Dr Ruxton said. "You don't need to buy expensive bottled water – tap water is good quality in this country and you're not throwing away lots of plastic bottles and harming the environment" she added.Tap recommends drinking eight to ten cups of fluid a day, which may come from tea, water and other beverages. However, buying bottled water can produce unnecessary landfill waste. Recycling rates are increasing year-on-year, with a rise from 360 million in 2002 to 727 million in 2004, but drinking tap water would reduce the number of bottles produced. The majority (93 per cent) of water bottles are made of PET plastic while the rest is glass, all of which can be recycled. Many bottles carry messages to the buyer urging them to recycle them after use.