But being biodegradable doesn’t always cut plastic out either, says Kate Willacy at Pukka Herbs. We Are Tea’s tea bags have been plastic free for over 5 years now. Each plastic-containing tea bag is thought to contain around 20-30% polypropylene. powered by Microsoft News. Tetley claims its tea bags are “99 per cent biodegradable,” meaning they do contain a small amount of plastic. Friendship Organics is also a Fair-Trade Certified company so you can enjoy your cup of tea knowing that someone in the supply chain wasn’t exploited. The clear cellophane bags that contain the tea bags are 100 percent compostable as well as the tea bags themselves that are plastic-free. This could save nine tonnes of plastic every year from being dumped into household rubbish and compost collections.". Although they’re called silky tea bags, they’re not made with silk. As a small family company we try to be ethical and sustainable, and after months of trials, Tick Tock teabags will now be fully plant-based and biodegradable. PG Tips responded: "'Like most of the teabags in the UK, our teabags are made with about 80% paper fibre, which is fully compostable along with the tea leaves contained in the bag. So make sure to read the box and do a quick online search to ensure that the tea bags you purchase are completely plastic-free. 10. While it's easy to assume that tea bags are made from pure paper, an estimated 96 percent of the bags contain polypropylene - a thermoplastic polymer. PG Tips recently announced that its teabags will be 100% plastic free from 2019, with Unilever rolling out biodegradable corn-starch derived teabags instead. Read all about it here! Our tea bags are made using unbleached, non-heat sealed, biodegradable filter paper and are dioxin free. Plastics in packaging are a hot topic for us at Tick Tock. Pukka Tea told me their teabags do not contain polypropylene or any other plastic – their teabag is sewn shut by machine with cotton thread. So how do we know which tea bags can go in the compost and which should go to landfill? There are no glues, and while their packaging does contain a metallised film (consisting of PET and Bi-Orientated Polypropylene) to keep the product fresh, this is still recyclable. Please note this list is not exhaustive and you may need to do your own research to find out if you are consuming plastic with your tea. Some are made from a blend of manilla hemp, cellulose and thermoplastic fibres, some companies refer to the plastic element in their bags as synthetic fibres and some companies proudly state their bags are made from abacá plant with no plastic in them at all. Brands that use plastic sealants include Tetley, Twinings’ 'heat-sealed' and 'string and tag' ranges, Yorkshire Tea and some Aldi tea bags… We’ve already made over 1 BILLION!". Are Plastic Tea Bags Safe? If they do, consider asking them if they are considering changing and explaining to them why the change matters to you. Furthermore, they often come in individual sachets, which can contain a hidden layer of plastic to keep the packet airtight. Plastic tea bags are typically used for high-end specialty teas and account for about 5% the tea bag market, Peter F. Goggi, president of the Tea Association of the U.S.A. Inc., said Saturday. Our research suggests that Twinings' claim their loose leaf pyramid tea bag range does not contain plastic and is fully biodegradable. The Twinings traditional teabag range contains a small amount of oil-based plastic. So the wider question I should perhaps be asking is:- do tea bags contain plastic – or indeed other materials that I should be aware of and that might prevent us from confidently composting them. ", In April 2018, PG tips announced that it will move to 100% biodegradable tea bags. PLA teabags should go into council food waste, as they won’t break down in most home composting conditions. The tea bags themselves are completely biodegradable and the packaging they come in is made using paper and biodegradable PE and is oxo-biodegradable. They are compostable but not recyclable. Several tea bag brands use polypropylene, a sealing plastic, to keep the tea bags from falling apart. Yet one 2009 study found that water drunk from water bottles made from PET may contain "a substantial quantity of estrogen … Journal of Environmental Science & Technology, This stamps shows which products are plastic-free, Editor-approved plastic-free swaps for the home, Waitrose to remove 5p single-use plastic bags, New biodegradable water bottle degrades in 3 weeks, paper tea bags sealed with a plastic glue that makes them non-recyclable or compostable, plastic tea bags (the actual bag is made out of plastic, not paper) that begin to breakdown when put into hot water. We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article. Not so. Waitrose’s Duchy tea bags are folded, removing the need for them to be sealed together with plastic. 04 November, 2020. The string can be made from polyester or cotton. Lipton – Regular tea bags – Compostable / Pyramid tea bags – contain plastic (Email) “Our regular tea bags out of unbleached hemp and non-chlorine-bleached paper, which can be composted. Currently, there are very few filter grade paper options available to tea producers that can seal the tea into the bags effectively whilst allowing the tea flavours to infuse naturally. Many popular tea brands such as Twinings, Nerada and Lipton still use tea bags that contain synthetic materials, although after public scrutiny this year, many are working towards a plastic-free solution. We’ve got some big bits of news to share about plastic. Good news! In September 2019, around 96% of the tea bags used in the UK contain non-biodegradable polypropylene fibres woven into the fabric of the bag, which allows them to be sealed by heat. They do not emit plastic microparticles or nanoparticles, and they are compostable. And that's not the only problem, recent research from McGill University in Canada also found that some types of tea bag leak millions of plastic particles into our drinks not only from the sealing plastic but from the bag itself. Despite claiming to be 99% biodegradable, Tetley tea bags do contain a small amount of aplastic. Yorkshire tea is currently making the switch to renewable plant-based material. Instead, we use a simple stitch of organic cotton and a unique folding process. But being biodegradable doesn’t always cut plastic out … So whether you're a teabag lover or a loose leaf die hard, do your best to find plastic free options if you can. I have always assumed that tea bags are made from paper and that the only plastic is found in the packaging. Pukka Tea told me their teabags do not contain polypropylene or any other plastic – their teabag is sewn shut by machine with cotton thread. Country Living reveal which tea bag brands do and don't have plastic in their bags. Madura tea bag filter paper is comprised of 80% natural materials, with the balance being made up of synthetic fibres. Drinking tea is a very British tradition – so much so that we consume 60.2 billion cups of tea each year, according to the UK Tea and Infusions Association. Story continues. Which tea bags contain plastic? The plastics are food-grade but that doesn’t mean they break down easily (see “Composting clues”). However, as a result of the manufacturing process, Tetley tea bags do contain a very small amount of plastic to ensure the bags remain closed for you to enjoy your cup of tea. TWININGS. The bio-degradable bags will undergo rigorous testing throughout the next month, and Co-op is hoping to commercialise them later this year. We Are Tea. ❗️Twinings 'heat-sealed' and 'string and tag' ranges, On their website it says: "Our famous Co-op 99 tea will be developed without polypropylene, which is an industry-wide method used to enable teabags to hold their shape. Its pyramid tea bags, however, are made from polyethylene terephthalate, a food-grade plastic that’s also used in clear water and juice bottles – these are being phased out”. Chanui "Our teabags are not made of plastic, although they are not compostable." We’re starting to switch over now, and the aim is that all our UK tea bags will have switched by the end of 2019.". The majority of tea bags used in the UK (55 billion a year) are made by adding acrylic polymer emulsions to the plant based materials that the bags are made of and then applying a very thin layer of polypropylene to help heat-seal bags and sachets. On their website, they say: "Pukka doesn’t use this kind of material. Brands that use plastic sealants include Tetley, Twinings’ 'heat-sealed' and 'string and tag' ranges, Yorkshire Tea and some Aldi tea bags. They’re made with plastic. Many popular tea brands such as Twinings, Nerada and Lipton still use tea bags that contain synthetic materials, although after public scrutiny this year, many are working towards a plastic-free solution. On their website they say: We’ve worked hard to ensure that our tea bags are 99% bio degradable. They’re also glue free as they’re sealed together with heat.". Lipton Quality Black and Intense (traditional tea bags) are made from Manilla hemp and cellulose fibres. However, their 'heat-sealed' and 'string and tag' ranges do include plastic. Firstly we would like to confirm that we DO NOT manufacture the pyramid silken tea bag type made from nylon or PET referred to in the study. PG Tips responded: "'Like most of the teabags in the UK, our teabags are made with about 80% paper fibre, which is fully compostable along with the tea leaves contained in the bag. Visit Reach out to the brand of tea you currently drink and ask them if they seal their tea bags using plastic. It was then that the convenience of the teabag was born. They are not compostable or recyclable. Do Tea Bags Contain Plastic? But with a growing awareness surrounding the public ‘War on Plastic’, do we know whatR… However, as a result of the manufacturing process, Tetley tea bags do contain a very small amount of plastic to ensure the bags remain closed for you to enjoy your cup of tea. msn back to msn home lifestyle. The plastic we’ve been using to seal our tea bags is going to be replaced with a renewable plant-based material. Many tea bags contain plastic. We are continuing to work with our suppliers to explore alternative, fully biodegradable polymers that can be used instead. The University of East Anglia has conducted tests on six of Britain's biggest tea brands in order to find out the amount of plastic included in their bags. Hot off the press. String and tag bags are closed by folding the bag and stitching or stapling it shut. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io, 17 ways to have a green, eco-friendly Christmas, Asda opens sustainability store with refill zone, John Lewis & Waitrose ban glitter this Christmas, Save 70% on these beeswax wraps in Amazon’s sale, Straws, stirrers and cotton buds banned in the UK, 20 ways Brits have become greener in 2020, Waitrose to remove plastic on multipack cans, Plastic carrier bag price to double to 10p in 2021, Country Living, Part of the Hearst UK Fashion & Beauty Network. The University of East Anglia has conducted tests on six of Britain's biggest tea brands in order to find out the amount of plastic included in their bags. I have always assumed that tea bags are made from paper and that the only plastic is found in the packaging. Will you take the pledge to switch your bank, super or pension fund if they invest in fossil fuels? These tea bags do not contain plastic: Lipton Quality Black and Intense (traditional tea bags) are made from Manilla hemp and cellulose fibres. If your favourite brand of tea is using plastic teabags, you are probably getting a gutful of microplastics. The one thing all the tea companies do seem to agree on is that loose leaf tea in a teapot makes a superior tasting tea. Even though PLA is plant-based, there’s no guarantee your compost heap will do a proper job of recycling it back to nature. 11. These 'Tea Swags' are all natural and reusable. They are compostable but not recyclable. Do manufacturers actually put plastic in tea bags? People assumed that the bags were to be used in the same way as metal infusers, and placed the entire bag into the pot to brew the tea. This means we don’t need to use polypropylene to hold our teabags together and our teabags are therefore free from plastic. They even went on to say their teabag paper is made of a blend of natural abaca (a type of banana) and plant cellulose fibres, and their supply of tea bag paper is also Totally Chlorine Free and unbleached. This problem is linked to tea bags where the actual bag itself is made out of plastic material, not the paper bags that are more common. Tetley says its teabags contain a small amount of plastic material (0.04g per bag) so that they can be heat-sealed. As far as our research suggests, their Duchy range is plastic-free and biodegradable. Source:istock Last year research found that 90 per cent of the world’s bottled water is contaminated with dangerous microplastics. So which tea bags contain plastic? free of epichlorohydrin – for tea bag to achieve wet strength, they cross-link epichlorohydrin with a polyamide polymer, which when linked, causes a reaction that uses up all of the epichlorohydrin chemical. Due to its plastic content, many conventional tea bags cannot break down in compost, much to the surprise and dismay of many home composters. The answer is unfortunately not as simple as you might think. Microplastics have widely been found in the … This plastic is not recyclable or biodegradable. On their website, they say: "SoilOn is a corn-starch which incorporates biomass material (polylactic acid) originating from plants. The Twinings pyramid tea bags have always been plastic free since it was launched in October 2014. Tick Tock Tea. On their website it says: "We’re committed to moving all our pyramid® bags to a new fully biodegradable, plant-based material. But do we know what's in our favourite cuppa? For many, a cuppa brewed with a tea bag is part of their daily ritual and in many countries the teabag reigns supreme. Nature’s Cuppa Organic– Eatrite Australasia Pty Ltd (the manufacturer) responded that their tea bags are made … And most of us tea-drinkers choose tea bags rather than tea leaves – 96% in fact. However, their 'heat-sealed' and 'string and tag' ranges do include plastic. BRITS live up to their tea-loving stereotype, enjoying around 60.2bn cups a year. So which tea bags contain plastic? Tetley claim they continually seek to work with their suppliers to improve and explore the most sustainable production processes and methods. The war on plastic waste is extending to the UK’s favourite beverage, with a major retailer in the final stages of developing a fully biodegradable paper teabag that does not contain plastic. I enjoy the taste, and I always felt good knowing I was getting some beneficial antioxidants in every cup. The pyramid tea bags we produce for all our pyramid products are made exclusively from a plant-based starch material (PLA). Not so. Abel & Cole, a delivery service for organic food and drink produce, are proud to have completely plastic-free tea bags – instead they are made using SoilOn. Visit their website to make enquiries. They even went on to say their teabag paper is made of a blend of natural abaca (a type of banana) and plant cellulose fibres, and their supply of tea bag paper is also Totally Chlorine Free and unbleached. Our filter paper is manufactured using a blend of high-quality manila hemp, which does contain a tiny percentage (less than 2%) of food-grade synthetic fibres. Which Tea Bags Contain Plastic? By accidentally incorrectly putting tea bags that do contain plastic in the compost you are adding small amounts of plastic to the compost, which will introduce these chemicals back into the food chain as plants absorb them from the soil as they grow. Silky tea bags are often in the shape of a pyramid and marketed as a luxury and higher quality tea bag. WHILIST TEA BAGS ARE MADE OF PAPER PULP, TEA MANUFACTURERS NOW ADD POLYPROPYLENE TO THE FIBRES THAT MAKE THE TEA BAGS, TO HELP “HEAT SEAL” THEM. We recommend compostable bags without plastic fibres so we've done a bit of research to find out which popular brands contain plastic and which don't! Loose leaf tea often has a nicer flavour than tea in a tea bag. Let's take at a look at how we can avoid pesky plastic in our brew. We’re starting to switch over now, and the aim is that all our UK tea bags will have switched by the end of 2019. Even though PLA is plant-based, there’s no guarantee your compost heap will do a proper job of recycling it back to nature. Several tea bag brands use polypropylene, a sealing plastic, to keep their tea bags from falling apart. 96 per cent of tea bags contain plastic. Many tea bags contain a thermoplastic such as polypropylene (PP, the recyclable plastic coded “5”) or plant-based polylactic acid (PLA, “7”). According to Implasticfree an organization which helps those who wish to lead an eco-conscious life, the following brands of tea bags do not contain plastic; Dilmah Organic:only the organic tea range tea bags are free of plastic. Late last year we also switched our inner plastic bag (that keeps your tea nice and fresh) to a new wonder material called Natureflex which is made from wood pulp and suitable for home composting – total game changer!". From January 2020, the range will become plant-based and will biodegrade in industrial composting. On their website, they say: "The plastic we’ve been using to seal our tea bags is going to be replaced with a renewable plant-based material. Bushells Tea Bag paper is made from Manila hemp, cellulose and thermoplastic fibres, as such they are not compostable or recyclable. So the wider question I should perhaps be asking is:- do tea bags contain plastic – or indeed other materials that I should be aware of and that might prevent us from confidently composting them. Lidl told Country Living: “Our pyramid teabags are made from 100% bio-plastic and are fully biodegradable. Our research suggests that Twinings' claim their loose leaf pyramid tea bag range does not contain plastic and is fully biodegradable. A new study has found that a single plastic teabag steeped at a brewing temperature of 95 degrees Celsius releases around 11.6 billion microplastics and 3.1 billion nanoplastics into a single cup. Instead, these bags should be put in the trash. We were the first company to ever use organic strings to hold our teabags together without the need of a metal staple or polypropylene.". Let us know and we can add it in! So make sure to read the box and do a quick online search to ensure that the tea bags you purchase are completely plastic-free. Nerada loose leaf black tea comes in a simple, plastic free, cardboard box and can be found at most major supermarkets (often on the bottom shelf). The scientists found that one plastic tea bag releases around 11.6 billion microplastics and 3.1 bollion smaller nanoplastic particles into the cup. web search. The best way to dispose of plastic tea bags is to rip them open and compost the leaves, but put the bag into the bin. Lipton – Regular tea bags – Compostable / Pyramid tea bags – contain plastic (Email) “Our regular tea bags out of unbleached hemp and non-chlorine-bleached paper, which can be composted. It seems each tea company has a different kind of tea bag paper. Wait, what? This content is imported from {embed-name}. Alternatives To Using A Tea Bag . The first use of the teabag dates back to over 100 years ago, when a New York tea merchant sent out samples of tea packed into silk bags. ), are now made from cornstarch and are biodegradable. With these, you simply make your cup of tea as usual before putting the tea bag in your food waste bin or compost. ), … Our regular teabags are a conventional … The new method uses heat sealing bags which eliminate the need for the widely-used plastic seal. We’re working on a number of green packaging options, including reducing our packaging weight and improving our recyclability.". Its pyramid tea bags, however, are made from polyethylene terephthalate, a food-grade plastic that’s also used in clear water and juice bottles – these are being phased out”. L E T ’ S T A L K T E A. M E N U. O u r T e ... Do Tick Tock teabags contain plastic? Country Living participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. In fact, we didn’t know about plastic in tea bags until we watched a viral BBC video about tea production in 2017. Brands that use plastic sealants include Tetley, Twinings’ 'heat-sealed' and 'string and tag' ranges, Yorkshire Tea and some Aldi tea bags. We’ve got some big bits of news to share about plastic. The intent is for the product to be rolled out across the Co-op’s entire own-labelled tea range. Pouces made from cotton or soilon are also a good choice. The plastic we’ve been using to seal our tea bags is going to be replaced with a renewable plant-based material. The tea bag (filter paper) is made from of a blend of abaca and selected cellulosic fibres (natural plant fibres)." They are made from biodegradable soilon and are sealed using ultrasound rather … Clipper announced in October 2018 that they had created what they believe to be the first ever completely plastic-free bag, made using natural plant-based materials. Even our tea bags contain plastic - but there are 6 brands that are plastic-free. It … The old tea bags were all made from natural fibres and could completely biodegrade but now in our world of fast paced convenience - many are made and sealed with plastic. These plastic tea bags are more often linked to the higher end brands. Which Tea Bags Do Not Contain Plastic? Nerada tea filter paper is manufactured using a blend of high-quality manila hemp, which does contain a tiny percentage (less than 2%) of food-grade synthetic fibres. So which tea bags contain plastic? The plastics are food-grade but that doesn’t mean they break down easily (see “Composting clues”). Pukka Herbs tea bags are free of plastic, tied together with organic cotton and are fully compostable. The reason why I can’t compost tea bags is that they may contain elements of plastic in the material – if not the entire bag itself. Canadian researchers found that some plastic tea bags shed high levels of microplastics into water. We're switching our banks, super or pension funds if they invest in coal, oil or gas and we're sending an open letter to the world's leading financial institutions that are funding fossil fuels to tell them to stop! One such brand, Madura Tea, offers silk infuser pyramid bags that are 100% plastic free tea bags, and are made with eco-friendly technology too – bonus! Barry's, one of the two most popular tea brands in Ireland, has just admitted that they use the plastic polypropylene in their tea bags, which consumers have long believed to be made of paper. These fibres are used to heat-seal the teabag, ensuring that the tea remains inside the bag while brewing. Lipton Green Decaf, Chai and Herbal (traditional tea bags) are made from Manilla hemp, cellulose and thermoplastic fibres. Look carefully on the packaging to see if they are the new variety of bags. They are made from maize starch which is … We’re starting to switch over now, and the aim is that all our UK tea bags will have switched by the end of 2019. "Scarborough Fair tea bags do not contain any plasticisers or similar material. The tea bags are typically made using a fossil-fuel based plastic, such as PET or nylon. The findings were published in the Journal of Environmental Science & Technology. Pukka's teabags are folded and stitched together with organic cotton. Twinings, Tetley and Yorkshire Tea all contain plastic says BBC News. T2's new teabags, which recently changed due to customer demand (yay! I love to drink tea. Teabag made from manila hemp & cellulose (non-GMO verified), aluminium food-grade staple, & teabag/string/tag do not contain any plastics. Do Tea Bags Contain Plastic? Known manufacturers who use plastic in their tea bags are Lipton, Tetley, Twinings, PG Tips and Yorkshire Tea. Even if the bag doesn’t contain plastic and is completely compostable, the individual sleeves used to package each bag often contain plastic in order to preserve the freshness of the tea leaves. The war on plastic waste is extending to the UK’s favourite beverage, with a major retailer in the final stages of developing a fully biodegradable paper teabag that does not contain plastic. The tea bags are made of paper from the abaca plant and PLA which is a plant-derived starch. Teapigs products are plastic-free and biodegradable. And, the best bit is that’s biodegradable and certified by The Soil Association through EU organic regulation. We got in touch with Lidl to ask about their own brand tea bags, which are not currently 100% plastic-free but are biodegradable. This information is based on our research and may have changed since publication. T2's new teabags, which recently changed due to customer demand (yay! Our industry partner, WRAP, also encourages consumers to put this type of tea bag into home composting containers, as there will only be a very small amount of residue left afterwards. Which brand of tea bags do not contain plastic? Nerada are currently in the process of trialling a new filter paper made from 100% natural fibres and plan to introduce it into their tea bags as soon as soon as the trial results are successful. and if your favourite brand is still using plastic, let them know you'd love them to change their ways! You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. The vast majority of the composition of our round tea bags are biodegradable, with approximately just 1-2% of non-biodegradable polymers, used to help create the seal. So imagine my shock when I was shopping at our local farmers market and stumbled across an article questioning the addition of plastic in tea bags. Some plastic tea bags are leaving high amounts of micro-plastics in your brew, researchers have found (Picture: Getty) New research has revealed that some teabags could be leaving billions of microplastic particles in your brew - but how do we know which ones?. Not all string-and-tag bags are plastic free: look out for crimping around the edges which shows the bag might have been heat-sealed, and therefore contain plastic or PLA. You’d probably be surprised to learn that most tea bags contain up to 25% plastic. You just fill them up with loose leaf tea or herbs from your garden, steep it in hot water as you would a normal teabag, then when you're done, empty the contents into the compost, rinse the tea swag and hang it out to dry! Fighting climate change through our everyday lives. Mayde Tea is an organic tea brand based in Byron who package their teas in a fully compostable cardboard and paper bags or glass jars. If you're wanting to go zero waste and still use a tea bag, you can try out a reusable one! We know that the tea bags will break down within a month in a commercial composting facility but also recognise that these are not yet widely available in NZ." To choose safe, plastic-free, and non-toxic tea bags, look for materials that are organic, completely biodegradable, natural, plastic-free, or made with plant-based materials, such as corn, cornstarch, potato, and hemp fiber. While these bags don’t require plastic to seal shut, they may still contain polypropylene fibers to keep the shape of the bag in hot water. Like this article? The majority of tea bags used in the UK (55 billion a year) are made by adding acrylic polymer emulsions to the plant based materials that the bags are made of and then applying a very thin layer of polypropylene to help heat-seal bags and sachets. But are you aware that some tea bags actually contain plastic? If your favourite brand of tea is using plastic teabags, you are probably getting a gutful of microplastics. This post was originally published in June 2018 and updated September 2020. Made from corn-starch and 100% biodegradable – you can pop them in with your food waste collection where they will break down within 12 weeks (best avoid putting them in home compost, as they do need high heat and pressure to break down - which won't be met at home). On their website they say: "Our tea temples have always been plastic-free. This is apparently to prevent the bags splitting open during transit or when we pour boiling water on them. For any brands not mentioned, check their website or customer care contact. Sign up to our newsletter to get more articles like this delivered straight to your inbox.