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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Environment
Phoebe Weston

Tesco accused of greenwashing over ‘biodegradable’ teabags

Tesco PLA CCPC
One of the Tesco teabags used in the experiment seen before burial (right), and after a year under the soil.
One of the Tesco teabags used in the experiment seen before burial (right), and after a year under the soil. Photograph: Dr Alicia Mateos-Cárdenas

A team of researchers has filed a complaint against Tesco, saying its “biodegradable” teabags do not fulfil that claim following an experiment that involved burying them in soil for a year to see what happened.

Dr Alicia Mateos-Cárdenas from University College Cork (UCC) set out to investigate how well teabags advertised as biodegradable broke down. She buried 16 Tesco Finest Green Tea with Jasmine pyramid teabags in garden soil. However, when the teabags were dug up, they remained intact.

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