Recently, the University of Gothenburg published a press released entitled “Paper cups are just as toxic as plastic cups” quoting the “Single-use take-away cups of paper are as toxic to aquatic midge larvae as plastic cups” article authored by Carney Almroth et al. in 2023
We found this press release misleading due to different elements it contains.
- It addresses the biodegradability of biodegradable plastics, a topic not directly covered in the referenced article.
- It suggests the study implies that PLA (Polylactic Acid) may still be toxic.
It is very important for us to clear these kinds of misconceptions. Following this press release, we raised our concerns regarding these inaccuracies in writing to both Olaf Lönnehed, Press Officer of the University of Gothenburg, and Bethanie Carney Almroth, Lead researcher of the study. They indicated us that, after internal discussion, the Press Office had determined they would not issue another statement.
In response, we then issued and disseminated a press release to clarify the false statements which can be found here.