PAPER CUPS ARE JUST AS TOXIC AS PLASTIC CUPS- RESEARCH

Mon 28 August 2023:

Paper cups are as problematic as single use plastic cups, according to the researchers at the University of Gothenburg. The researchers made the conclusion after studying the effect of disposable cups made of different materials on the larvae of the butterfly mosquito.

“We left paper cups and plastic cups in wet sediment and water for a few weeks and followed how the leached chemicals affected the larvae. All of the mugs negatively affected the growth of mosquito larvae,” Bethanie Carney Almroth, professor of environmental science at the Department of Biology and Environmental Science at the University of Gothenburg, said in a statement.

This is because a thin plastic film lines the paper cups. It must be noted that paper by itself is not water resistant. So paper that is used in food packaging material needs to be treated with a surface coating.

This is what protects that coffee in your hand from a kiosk corner or a large coffee chain’s outlet.

The plastic film is often made of polylactide, PLA, a type of bioplastic.

Bioplastics are produced from renewable resources, typically from corn or sugarcane rather than fossil fuels.

While bioplastics are deemed biodegradable, the researchers’ study shows that they can still be toxic.

“Bioplastics do not break down effectively when they end up in the environment, in water. There may be a risk that the plastic remains in nature and resulting microplastics can be ingested by animals and humans, just as other plastics do. Bioplastics contain at least as many chemicals as conventional plastic,” Bethanie Carney Almroth said further.

Potential health hazard of food packaging

Bethanie Carney Almroth and her research colleagues report their results in the Environmental Pollution journal.

“Some chemicals in plastics are known to be toxic, others we lack knowledge about. Paper packaging also presents a potential health hazard compared to other materials, and it’s becoming more common. We are exposed to the plastics and the associated chemicals via contact with food,” the research says.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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