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Health

Teabags

(42 Posts)
varian Tue 25-Aug-20 14:08:05

The hidden microplastics in our cups of tea, with each teabag containing billions of microparticles

inews.co.uk/news/environment/war-on-plastic-feature-hidden-microplastics-tea-anita-rani-609888

Apart from being wasteful and a threat to the environment teabags can be a threat to health. Why not make a pot of tea with loose tea leaves? No-one needs teabags.

Hetty58 Fri 28-Aug-20 11:02:26

I do wish I'd known about it earlier. I still have two compost heaps that need the bag casings carefully removed before use (a nasty, time-consuming job). I sometimes find them in the borders, too!

Franbern Fri 28-Aug-20 10:56:42

So, this week I ordered a couple of small infusers and purchased loose tea. Used this for my morning very large mug of tea and it was indistingishable from my usual t-bag made mug. No mess, quick and easy and much more economic. Will keep the t-bags I have, but will not replace them when I run out. Feel smug!!!!!

JenniferEccles Thu 27-Aug-20 13:01:36

Wow Furret !
I shall raise my cup to you shortly when I have lunch!?

I find I need fewer bags of Clipper in the teapot than I would with other makes, so they doesn’t work out any more expensive for me.

WOODMOUSE49 Thu 27-Aug-20 12:06:04

pollyperkins

As a matter of interest, which tea bags are plastic free?I was unaware of this.

I buy Clipper as it's the most available to me in the supermarkets I use. They're also a price I can afford. The bags are sealed with non-GM bio-material made from plant cellulose, known as PLA.

Some bags that claim to be plastic free still use a plastic glue that makes them non-recyclable or compostable.

I only drink Earl Grey and I do buy a packet of loose tea occasionally.

varian and bluesky. It will depend on what tea and brand you buy. In my experience the Earl Grey tea bags are far cheaper than loose tea. I'm comparing the number of cups per grams of tea. Certaintly washing up afterwards is more convenient using tea bags.

Furret Thu 27-Aug-20 11:35:53

JE at last we find something to agree on! It had to happen. I like Clipper Tea too, and they are not unduly expensive either.

PamelaJ1 Wed 26-Aug-20 20:43:51

I use PG tips.
I also have a pot with a strainer in it. Such a faff to empty it.
So we drink a mix , as we do coffee - sometimes filter sometimes instant.
We are given the impression that we demand things, we like straight carrots for example. I can’t remember anyone asking my opinion.
My point being that if we want bags without plastic then we must support those who make them.

Re. composting bags with plastic in them. They still get into the eco system. The worms eat them then the birds eat the worms.

Helennonotion Wed 26-Aug-20 20:31:48

The price of some of those teabags on the approved list!!! I'm all for reducing my plastic waste, but I couldn't afford to eat if I paid almost a fiver for 15 tea bags! shock

rafichagran Wed 26-Aug-20 20:23:39

Sorry, will be sticking to tea bags, especially at work, just so much quicker.

Purpledaffodil Wed 26-Aug-20 20:02:03

PG tips have only just started being plastic free but I think the quality has also improved. I used to find many little tea bag ghosts in the compost before they did this.

rubysong Wed 26-Aug-20 19:49:16

I let the used bags dry for a couple of days, tear them open, put the leaves on the garden and the bags in the bin.

toscalily Wed 26-Aug-20 17:25:05

Each to their own!

varian Wed 26-Aug-20 14:14:16

I think drinking proper tea, made in a pot, would not limit anyone's diet.

Are you a communist JE?

Communists say that "propertea is theft"

Boom boom!

JenniferEccles Wed 26-Aug-20 13:51:17

Obviously like everyone else I am not keen on ingesting minute particles of plastic and will stick to the Clipper bags, but isn’t it a fact that if we worried about every single thing we ate because of the latest health scare or other, we would be left with a very limited diet?

Curlywhirly Wed 26-Aug-20 13:34:54

Was brought up on loose tea, but have used tea bags for years; so even though it's not necessary, does anyone else still leave a small amount of tea in the cup (which you had to do to avoid a mouthful of leaves)? Old habits die hard!

JenniferEccles Wed 26-Aug-20 12:29:22

I have been buying Clipper organic unbleached teabags for years and I was pleased to see they are on the approved list.

timetogo2016 Wed 26-Aug-20 10:51:02

I use t/bags then put them in the garden as they keep mice away.
So the plastic isn`t realy an issue.

Furret Wed 26-Aug-20 09:05:14

??

25Avalon Tue 25-Aug-20 21:47:25

Furret you are right. Thanks for that. My info was out of date.

grannylyn65 Tue 25-Aug-20 21:16:09

?

Furret Tue 25-Aug-20 21:09:20

25Avalon

This is true even of organic tea bags - not so organic as you might think.
I forgot to order tea bags so had to use a 2 year old pack of loose leaf tea. Certainly more economical and once you get used to quantities is good. I do have a special infuser insert tucked in the back of the cupboard so I don’t need a tea strainer.

If by ‘this’ you mean micro plastics then that is inaccurate.

plastic free tea bags someone asked which. Here’s a list.

kittylester Tue 25-Aug-20 21:02:02

We have bags but only for emergencies! We use loose leaf all the time and never get any residue because we use a strainer.

Oopsadaisy4 Tue 25-Aug-20 20:27:40

PG tips are plastic free according to the Ethical Shopper.

Phew!

BlueSky Tue 25-Aug-20 19:09:26

varian

What is the point of teabags?

Making a pot of tea is quicker, more convenient, less wasteful, less expensive, the tea is tastier and you get more tea for your leaves.

Agree Varian!

varian Tue 25-Aug-20 17:55:01

Your Grandad was an "expert" Jane10

Now I know that these days we are supposed to denigrate experts but I think that your grandad knew what he was talking about.

Jane10 Tue 25-Aug-20 17:11:41

My Grandad managed a tea garden in Assam. He was extremely scathing about tea bags! Just 'dust'.
He used to mix his own blend of loose leaf tea when he retired.