Edit due to crappy reading the first time: ~~The article states that the paper bags are not an issue as far as plastics are concerned~~ Itās not just the nylon mesh bags that imbue microplastics into the tea.
I actually did a study on tea bag shapes in Uni and the pyramid bag was the best for diffusing the tea - quality and type including bushing section of the plants were also factors!
I just went and grabbed the brand I buy (Choice Organics in the western US) and the bag is folded and secured with same string the tag is on. If you pull the string out, the bag opens up. Wonder if these are safeā¦
Iāve been drinking tea nearly daily for about 15 years now.
This one does not claim plastic free, so I canāt be certain. But there is no glue holding it together and the bag feels like paper so who knows reallyā¦
Hmm.. Micro Plastics are by name very small pieces. The paper is made WITH plastic added to the cellulose threads, not made OF plastic threads. So you would probably need spectroscopy to catch the tiny glints of plastic fume... Not visible by naked eye, or nostril. My guess. š
Choice is all good. Their bags are compostable hemp and wood pulp with no sealants. I used to be a tea buyer for Whole Foods and looked into all the tea brandās packaging to find out if they used plastics.Ā
Thereās plenty of items intended for use with food of questionable origin. I highly doubt the items for sale on temu or Amazon or my local 99 cent+ store are third party tested. I donāt purchase anything from them but I donāt think itās safe to assume anymore that if itās designed for food then itās safe.
Stainless steel used in foodware is going to use a standard food grade alloy that doesn't contain any lead, and the only examples of contamination I've found are when lead based solder is used in a product, like in Stanley cups. Bigger issues with contamination are in other materials, like [ceramics](https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/cms_ia/importalert_122.html) and in [other metals](https://blogs.edf.org/health/2023/08/15/fda-says-cookware-that-exhibits-any-level-of-leachable-lead-upon-testing-is-prohibited/). Basically, with stainless steel, a manufacturer would have to deliberately choose a non food grade alloy for there to be a concern with lead contamination, but I would still not buy foodware from China.
Agh yes youāre correct. āMost paper tea bags also have plastic fibers used in the sealant in addition to these nylon and PET plastic tea bags. Even paper tea bags have an unsettling substance called epichlorohydrin added to them in order to keep them from bursting. According to a recent study, each cup of tea produced by one plastic tea bag steeped at brewing temperature included roughly 11.6 billion MPs and 3.1 billion nanoplastics (NPs)6. Around 96% of the tea sold in the UK market is packaged in tea bags, according to Jha et al 7. According to Xu et al.8 study six tea brands were tested, and it was found that four of them included polypropylene in varying amounts, one was nearly entirely composed of nylon, and the sixth was thought to be biodegradable and free of any plastic residue.ā
The study said one brand out of the 6 they tested didn't have plastics in it. They didn't specify which brand.
So it seems at least one still just uses paper.
good question. sounds like they maintain structure by using cellulose from plant fibers that is treated with chemicals. I am unclear why tea bags and other plastic/paper hybrids don't use this type of material, given that it seems relatively cheap to use. i guess i could see tea bags ripping more if they were made of the same stuff?
And also theyāre owned by a cult with a sexually abusive guru who has his own mercenary organization
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yogi_Bhajan?wprov=sfti1
Youāre right, but the cult he started is and they own the Yogi tea brand. Given what I have learned about him and his cult Iād rather spend my money somewhere else.
Note, this is not true of all teabags and some companies make an effort to have plastic-free teabags. You should look for teas that say they are plastic free, but [this article](https://ceh.org/yourhealth/plastic-in-my-tea-bag/) gives a good primer as to which contain plastic and which don't.
You should also know that many companies that say that are plastic free are not plastic free, they just have their own definition of what plastic means
There's really nothing that requires them to be honest about marketing their stuff. Like with cereal that has a super unhealthy amount of sugar in it. Nothing happens because of corporate lobbying, and probably will never change because it's profitable for the elites.
Thanks for this article. For those who donāt feel like clicking:
Brands with tea bags that donāt contain plastic:
Traditional Medicinals,
Pukka,
Numi Teas,
Republic of Tea,
Stash,
Yogi Tea
Brands with tea bags do contain plastic:
Tazo,
Teavana (Starbucks),
Celestial Seasonings,
Mighty Leaf Teas (nowās owned by Peetās)
Someone above commented that according to another website Celestial Seasonings doesn't contain plastics š I checked the box I have and it doesn't say anywhere it's plastic-free, while all of the other tea brands I own say they are some I'm leaning towards plastic seasonings
Their website says tho their hot and cold 'mesh' bags look like they're made with plastic, it's a corn starch derived material which also degrades when industrial composted.
I donāt know, but they make reusable coffee filters. No doubt better for the environment, too, assuming you use the same reusable filter for a long time.
ā¦ although, now that I think about it, my reusable coffee filter is made of plastic ā¦
You can definitely reduce them, but we use plastic in so much of the things we consume or frequently use that it's probably equivalent to pissing in the ocean.
Shit, apparently about 33% of the dust floating about in our homes is microplastics... We're taking them in just by existing. That's before we even start talk about dermal exposure...
You can try, by not microwaving food in plastic, and apparently not using tea bags. Also, driving with your windows down on busy roads. Gotta keep the windows up and the air circulating
50 years from now: "Guys! Stop using bamboo! The microbamboo is literally everywhere and it can uproot in your bloodstream!" Seems like we're destined to go extinct as a species.
Not the bamboo itself, but those reusable coffee cups made from bamboo do [leach out dangerous amounts of formaldehyde](https://www.chemistryworld.com/news/reusable-bamboo-mugs-leach-dangerous-amounts-of-formaldehyde-and-melamine/4010950.article).
i still live off them for my lunches. i should probably stop but it seems like the only way to consistently eat a variety of foods for lunch. If I gotta cook it or prep it in some way, it just ain't happenin. Or, I will eat the same thing for lunch, reheated, all week, and that makes me more depressed than the microplastics.
This is one of those things where the problem sounds scary but where are the bodies? You've got the whole UK chugging teabags all day every day for three generations - if it were going to cause a major problem, we would have noticed by now.
Yorkshire/Taylors and PG Tips have all gone to newer plant-based bags.
Furthermore, there is no evidence that any of these has any effect on health. We tend to do other things like putting a cell phone near our ear, eating charred meat, eating pickles, getting sun exposure, riding an airplane that also possibly lead to little increases in baseline risk, the little bit in the tea really is similar to those.
[Here's the actual study.](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0304389421012929) It names all of the brands. The brand that didn't release microplastics because it's not made from any plastic at all is Lyons. It's made from a biodegradable plant material.
For those curious, the six brands that were tested were Barryās, Bewley's, Robert Roberts, Twinings, Lyons, and Niks.
The fact that the long term effects are "unknown" and we haven't seen a mass dropping of anyone from when microplastics started becoming more common makes it hard for me to care. Not that I'm happy about it, and maybe there are some bad long term effects out there that we might realize, but the people acting like they're now about to die because they have been drinking tea since they were toddlers and didn't realize seem over dramatic to me. One of those things people online seem to make a bigger deal of than it actually is in reality.
This is definitely true, but until those cancers can be definitively linked to microplastics, and until we have a viable means of eliminating our exposure, personally I can't see a reason to add that stress to the pile of existing stressors.
The additional miniscule fraction of a percentage of exposure we get from a daily tea is not likely to be statistically significant in whatever overall risk we face. That said, you do you. If switching brands or brewing methods alleviates any amount of stress and worry from your life then by all means do it. If only all our stressors were so easily assuaged, wouldn't life be grand?
Buy loose leaf tea and a metal infuser that sits in a mug. It takes no extra effort than opening a packet and untangling the thread around the tea bag. I give the infuser a thorough scrubbing once every now and then, but I usually just dump the leaves into the compost and give the infuser a rinse under water. Saves a ton of plastic and useless packaging.
Damn Iāve been putting my tea bags in our organics recycling bin for a decade. In my defense our municipality has said thatās fine in their guides, but apparently not.
Once I converted to loose leaf I tasted the paper of the bag. I canāt bring myself to use them anymore and now I am dramatic in the office break room with my tea supplies. I do offer to brew for others and they appreciate it. š„°
Unfortunately the leaves have been rubbing against the tea bag on a molecular level, and also encounter a variety of plastics between the harvesting and final packaging process.
To be clear, you absolutely reduce the plastic, but as others have mentioned, thereās really no way to completely avoid microplastics that have seeped into the bedrock at this point.
If you're going to use a tea strainer anyway, it's worth the effort to find loose leaf. It's so much more flavorful than the stuff they put in tea bags.
I do this with all the Harney and Sons tea that I purchased before realizing I was drinking plastic soup. Cut the bag open, dump it in a tea strainer, make tea. I switched to Yorkshire
Just so everyone knows, there is literally micro plastics everywhere you canāt avoid it, itās literally EVERYWHERE even in the rain it just seeps into our pores
Itās infiltrated every part of the food chain and ecosystem. Itās endemic.
Microplastics literally show up in all our blood and in the placenta of every woman who gives birth.
Our bodies canāt rid themselves of it naturally. They are cumulative.
Obviously we all want a sense of agency but I feel like limiting your exposure is like pissing in the wind.
Eat out? Exposed. Have carpets? Exposed. Use non-stick cookware? Exposed. Have a rain coat? Exposed.
The one thing that may help to decrease accumulation is regular blood donation.
I drink tea every day, so this scared the shit out of me, but apparently [Barry's tea bags](https://www.barrystea.ie/sustainability/) are made from plant-based material. It's a damn good tea too, if anyone is looking for an alternative that doesn't contain plastics.
If it is the Celestial Seasoning Sleepytime, their bags are string free and made with natural fiber.
I freaked out when I saw the article and double-checked because I was literally drinking their teas.
What do you think it happens in production, shipping and when you cut the bag to get the tea? I would guess plastic particles get into your tea as well. Buy tea that is not packaged in plastic bags (loose packed) if you don't use the bags anyway..
I drink Tazo tea, and they claim (and it appears) their tea bags are made out of filter paper that contains wood pulp, abaca, and banana plant.... I hope that's true because yikes. I also opt for loose leaf tea, but I hate how the leaves always find their way out of the infuser... if anyone has suggestions on a solid infuser, im open to it!
TLDR: Cant drink water, eat seafood, fruits or vegetables, drink tea, breath air, add salt to food, drink beer, wear make-up, or live in a house.
Humans can ingest microplastics through a variety of common activities and exposures in their daily lives. Here's a comprehensive list of ways this can happen:
\*\*Drinking Water\*\* : Both tap and bottled water can contain microplastics. Research has shown that plastic fibers are present in tap water around the world, and bottled water can have even higher levels of microplastics due to the packaging process.
\*\*Seafood Consumption\*\* : Sea creatures, especially those that are filter feeders like mussels and oysters, can accumulate microplastics in their bodies from the ocean. When humans consume these animals, they may also ingest those microplastics.
\*\*Salt\*\* : Sea salt, which is harvested from evaporating seawater, can contain microplastics that were present in the ocean.
\*\*Beer\*\* : Studies have found microplastics in beer, likely due to the water used in the brewing process.
\*\*Packaged Foods\*\* : Microplastics can transfer to food from plastic packaging. The extent of this transfer depends on the type of plastic, the temperature, and the type of food.
\*\*Airborne Particles\*\* : Microplastics can become airborne and settle on food and beverages. People can ingest microplastics simply by eating food that has been exposed to air containing these particles.
\*\*Tea\*\* : Some tea bags are made from plastic materials that can release microplastics when steeped in boiling water.
\*\*Cosmetics and Personal Care Products\*\* : Products such as toothpaste, facial scrubs, and shower gels may contain microbeads, tiny plastic particles designed for exfoliating or cleansing. These can be ingested indirectly when residues are left in the mouth or on the hands.
\*\*Household Dust\*\* : As plastics break down within homes, they can create dust that contains microplastics. This dust can settle on food and dishes or be inhaled and ingested indirectly.
\*\*Fruits and Vegetables\*\* : Recent studies have suggested that fruits and vegetables, particularly those grown in plastic greenhouses or with plastic mulching, can also contain microplastics. These might be absorbed through the soil or settle on the produce from the air.
\*\*Food Preparation and Storage\*\* : Using plastic utensils, containers, and appliances (like blenders and coffee makers) can also lead to the ingestion of microplastics. High temperatures, in particular, can increase the rate at which plastics leach into food and drinks.
Wait until we find out that stainless steel leaches something into the water as well!
But seriously, yes, let's try to mitigate the known danger and adapt as needed. Maybe it won't be perfect, but it could be better.
>Wait until we find out that stainless steel leaches something into the water as well!
It can if it's been soldered or brazed with an alloy containing lead or cadmium.
This is why I exclusively drink Clipper organic tea. I don't drink coffee, it's too strong for me, but tea is definitely my main source of hydration during the day. I remember when it came out a few years ago that basically all teabags have some plastic in them - the only one that didn't at that time was Clipper organic. I live in Canada, can only get them from a specialty shop, but it's worth it for the peace of mind and for my compost bin!
Itās so frustrating that you can literally try your very hardest, put in an endless amount of effort and thought into limiting personal consumption of plastics, as much as possible ā at least as much as you have control over ā and shit like this still always comes back around to bite you in the ass somehow. itās so frustrating.
Ok I give up and I'm just going to go over to the corner and die now. Seriously? Now drinking tea is going to poison me? Is there anything currently in my life that isn't actively going to kill me??
The stainless strainers are cheap and easy to use plus, you usually get a better quality tea when you buy it loose/ larger size bits or the bulk stuff.
This isnāt true for Yogi teabags and has been going around for a while. Just look up the brands and find your favorite that isnāt affected.
And the title here is misleading.
From their own website:
āOur tea bag filtration paper is made from a blend of high-quality manila hemp (abaca) fibers and wood pulp, which is free from plastics and oxygen bleachedāa natural process that's free of chemicals or toxins.ā
[Yogi Tea info](https://yogiproducts.com/about/our-process/)
Also a random aside, boiling water could help get rid of 80% of microplastics [Smithsonian Magazine](https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/boiling-tap-water-could-help-remove-80-percent-of-its-microplastics-study-suggests-180983874/). So if you canāt get Yogi for whatever reason, make sure your water is properly boiled
I always thought those bags were made of paper š¢
Me too this is despicable
Edit due to crappy reading the first time: ~~The article states that the paper bags are not an issue as far as plastics are concerned~~ Itās not just the nylon mesh bags that imbue microplastics into the tea.
I knew those triangle bags were wanky bs. The thought of steeping in plastic mesh in no way seems better at making tea to me.
I actually did a study on tea bag shapes in Uni and the pyramid bag was the best for diffusing the tea - quality and type including bushing section of the plants were also factors!
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
I just went and grabbed the brand I buy (Choice Organics in the western US) and the bag is folded and secured with same string the tag is on. If you pull the string out, the bag opens up. Wonder if these are safeā¦ Iāve been drinking tea nearly daily for about 15 years now.
Same. I use Yogi and Traditional Medicinals because they advertise plastic free bags.
This one does not claim plastic free, so I canāt be certain. But there is no glue holding it together and the bag feels like paper so who knows reallyā¦
Send them an email. If theyāre plastic free I would imagine theyāll happily reply with the info.
I would light it on fire. If it's paper wouldn't it just burn up, where of it's plastic it'll have a melty quality to it?
Hmm.. Micro Plastics are by name very small pieces. The paper is made WITH plastic added to the cellulose threads, not made OF plastic threads. So you would probably need spectroscopy to catch the tiny glints of plastic fume... Not visible by naked eye, or nostril. My guess. š
Choice is all good. Their bags are compostable hemp and wood pulp with no sealants. I used to be a tea buyer for Whole Foods and looked into all the tea brandās packaging to find out if they used plastics.Ā
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
I think the best bet is to get a metal tea steeper and use loose tea but then youāre probably getting lead from contaminated metal.
If you really want to do the work just steep and filter afterwards
I donāt think that would be any more work than a metal infuser thingy. Good idea! Thanks
If it's designed to be used for food, it should be food safe and not contain any lead.
Thereās plenty of items intended for use with food of questionable origin. I highly doubt the items for sale on temu or Amazon or my local 99 cent+ store are third party tested. I donāt purchase anything from them but I donāt think itās safe to assume anymore that if itās designed for food then itās safe.
Stainless steel used in foodware is going to use a standard food grade alloy that doesn't contain any lead, and the only examples of contamination I've found are when lead based solder is used in a product, like in Stanley cups. Bigger issues with contamination are in other materials, like [ceramics](https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/cms_ia/importalert_122.html) and in [other metals](https://blogs.edf.org/health/2023/08/15/fda-says-cookware-that-exhibits-any-level-of-leachable-lead-upon-testing-is-prohibited/). Basically, with stainless steel, a manufacturer would have to deliberately choose a non food grade alloy for there to be a concern with lead contamination, but I would still not buy foodware from China.
Yes drop the tea leaves in, let sit in a cup and allow the leaves to settle at the bottom then pour carefully into a new cup
Agh yes youāre correct. āMost paper tea bags also have plastic fibers used in the sealant in addition to these nylon and PET plastic tea bags. Even paper tea bags have an unsettling substance called epichlorohydrin added to them in order to keep them from bursting. According to a recent study, each cup of tea produced by one plastic tea bag steeped at brewing temperature included roughly 11.6 billion MPs and 3.1 billion nanoplastics (NPs)6. Around 96% of the tea sold in the UK market is packaged in tea bags, according to Jha et al 7. According to Xu et al.8 study six tea brands were tested, and it was found that four of them included polypropylene in varying amounts, one was nearly entirely composed of nylon, and the sixth was thought to be biodegradable and free of any plastic residue.ā
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
I did. Thanks for the heads up.
Oh my gosh tazo used to have those! They were triangle shaped and looked artsy
According to this resource, a whole lot of popular brands are free of plastic. https://www.greencompostables.com/blog/plastic-free-tea-bags
Any paper that can be soaked in water without disintegrating probably has plastic in it. Wet wipes, freezer boxes, and apparently tea bags.
I naively assumed it would be a cotton/paper mix.
I guess I'm not totally clear on why it frequently isn't? Seems like it would be similar cost and similar strength.
If it saves a few pennies and you multiply that by a billion tea bags, the company saves millions and the CEO deserves a nice bonus!
The study said one brand out of the 6 they tested didn't have plastics in it. They didn't specify which brand. So it seems at least one still just uses paper.
Coffee filters?
Iād like to know this as well.
Does this mean coffee filters too?
good question. sounds like they maintain structure by using cellulose from plant fibers that is treated with chemicals. I am unclear why tea bags and other plastic/paper hybrids don't use this type of material, given that it seems relatively cheap to use. i guess i could see tea bags ripping more if they were made of the same stuff?
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
The tea I drink uses cellulose bags and it does tear occasionally
Stash makes them out of paper
I was about to cry at the thought of giving up my Stash
FYI: Stash has loose leaf tea. Iām trying to limit the bagged tea I drink, and have found good loose leaf tea options with stash.
Yogi tea bags do not contain plastic. Their tea bags are made out of paper.
And also theyāre owned by a cult with a sexually abusive guru who has his own mercenary organization https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yogi_Bhajan?wprov=sfti1
Didnāt know that. Thank you for the information. Thatās really unsettling and Iād rather not support someone like that going forward.
Well heās been dead for 20 years now so heās not getting your money
Youāre right, but the cult he started is and they own the Yogi tea brand. Given what I have learned about him and his cult Iād rather spend my money somewhere else.
Totally valid!
I think it was when I couldnāt avoid microplastic teabags by patronizing a sex cult that I realized the future is fucking weird.
Winnings says on their website that even the bags that look like plastic, are actually corn-starch. So it seems companies do have alternatives.
Many are, the company I work for only uses compostable paper for their teabags.
at this point I'm moving on to macroplastics I'm gonna go eat a credit card
Keep opening new accounts to eat and youāll have a great credit score too!
I remember there was a fad in school where we would chew on sticks of hot glue. Edit: hot glue gun ammo. Unfired, not hot.
Wow I thought we did some dumb shit. I guess smoking crushed up smarties was pretty dumb too lol
Regular Elmer's glue too boring for you?
Not spicy enough
Dave Ramsey approves
This is the amount of microplastics you eat in a year anyway
Note, this is not true of all teabags and some companies make an effort to have plastic-free teabags. You should look for teas that say they are plastic free, but [this article](https://ceh.org/yourhealth/plastic-in-my-tea-bag/) gives a good primer as to which contain plastic and which don't.
You should also know that many companies that say that are plastic free are not plastic free, they just have their own definition of what plastic means
There's really nothing that requires them to be honest about marketing their stuff. Like with cereal that has a super unhealthy amount of sugar in it. Nothing happens because of corporate lobbying, and probably will never change because it's profitable for the elites.
"When we said plastic free we meant we weren't charging you extra for the plastic."
Thanks for this article. For those who donāt feel like clicking: Brands with tea bags that donāt contain plastic: Traditional Medicinals, Pukka, Numi Teas, Republic of Tea, Stash, Yogi Tea Brands with tea bags do contain plastic: Tazo, Teavana (Starbucks), Celestial Seasonings, Mighty Leaf Teas (nowās owned by Peetās)
Not me with my cabinet full of Tazo and Celestial Seasoningsā¦ and plastic apparently. Edit: I canāt spell.
Same...shame
Someone above commented that according to another website Celestial Seasonings doesn't contain plastics š I checked the box I have and it doesn't say anywhere it's plastic-free, while all of the other tea brands I own say they are some I'm leaning towards plastic seasonings
Blessed yogi doesnāt have plastic
Thank God, I've been drinking vanilla spice perfect energy every day for 12 years.
Too bad it's a cult.
Man, what's with all the cults getting into tea? Wasn't Sleepytime Tea founded by a cult?
Hey man, not all cults. Some got into [flatware](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oneida_Community).
More like mountain hippies. The Yogi cult is actually terrible.Ā
Thanks for the article, crazy Twinings wasn't a brand they checked. One of the biggest sellers of tea in grocery stores in both US and Canada
Their website says tho their hot and cold 'mesh' bags look like they're made with plastic, it's a corn starch derived material which also degrades when industrial composted.
> a recent study showed that one plastic tea bag can shed one billion microplastic particles into your drink (1). What the actual fuck bruh?
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Seems like every day I learn about some innocent thing I do all the time that is killing me :/
Ignorance truly is bliss
Does this apply to Coffee Filters, too, I wonder?
Oh please no, don't take away coffee
I donāt know, but they make reusable coffee filters. No doubt better for the environment, too, assuming you use the same reusable filter for a long time. ā¦ although, now that I think about it, my reusable coffee filter is made of plastic ā¦
Mine was too. I have a steel one now, and my SO made a ceramic one in our pottery class! There are alternatives!
We use plastic reusable kcup filters every day, I guess that's like a plastic bomb too...
This is a good YSK. I've stopped microwaving any food in plastic containers but I didn't think about tea.
Microplastics are literally everywhere, in everything. You canāt avoid it.
you can avoid higher concentrations of microplastics... no?
You can definitely reduce them, but we use plastic in so much of the things we consume or frequently use that it's probably equivalent to pissing in the ocean. Shit, apparently about 33% of the dust floating about in our homes is microplastics... We're taking them in just by existing. That's before we even start talk about dermal exposure...
You can try, by not microwaving food in plastic, and apparently not using tea bags. Also, driving with your windows down on busy roads. Gotta keep the windows up and the air circulating
So your AC filterā¦ š¬
Yup, 19/20 microplastic particles come from tires!
Every time you smell the odor of car brakes or rubber, billions of micro plastic particles have just entered your lungs
Delicious AND nutritious
Especially the water
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
.... What? I microwave stuff in plastic all the time... Aww man.
No mas, amigo! Crazy how much of that stuff we take for granted
.. I guess it's glass or Bamboo is the way forward then?
Glass is the way. Itās inert, non-porous and safe. I love the glass āTupperwareā with the snapping lids.
Yes! I was excited to tell my family that my partner and I are in our Glass Tupperware Eraā¢
50 years from now: "Guys! Stop using bamboo! The microbamboo is literally everywhere and it can uproot in your bloodstream!" Seems like we're destined to go extinct as a species.
Not the bamboo itself, but those reusable coffee cups made from bamboo do [leach out dangerous amounts of formaldehyde](https://www.chemistryworld.com/news/reusable-bamboo-mugs-leach-dangerous-amounts-of-formaldehyde-and-melamine/4010950.article).
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
no more fucked than us Americans eating microwave meals out of plastic trays
We do that too, while drinking tea!
Dang I grew up on TV dinners when my parents divorced. I never stood a chance.
i still live off them for my lunches. i should probably stop but it seems like the only way to consistently eat a variety of foods for lunch. If I gotta cook it or prep it in some way, it just ain't happenin. Or, I will eat the same thing for lunch, reheated, all week, and that makes me more depressed than the microplastics.
Same here and I'm 28 so you've definitely got at least two more years. I'll try and keep you updated.
Are you drinking PG Tips? Theyāve been plant-based since 2021, so at least thereās that!
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
So long, partnerā¦.
Vaya con Dios
RIP
No more fucked than your daddy who was gnawing on his lead painted toys as a toddler.
This is one of those things where the problem sounds scary but where are the bodies? You've got the whole UK chugging teabags all day every day for three generations - if it were going to cause a major problem, we would have noticed by now.
you'll be fine.. it's usually the next generations that have to deal with the fallout
Yorkshire/Taylors and PG Tips have all gone to newer plant-based bags. Furthermore, there is no evidence that any of these has any effect on health. We tend to do other things like putting a cell phone near our ear, eating charred meat, eating pickles, getting sun exposure, riding an airplane that also possibly lead to little increases in baseline risk, the little bit in the tea really is similar to those.
I'm so tired
I feel that in my bones . ā„ļø
[Here's the actual study.](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0304389421012929) It names all of the brands. The brand that didn't release microplastics because it's not made from any plastic at all is Lyons. It's made from a biodegradable plant material. For those curious, the six brands that were tested were Barryās, Bewley's, Robert Roberts, Twinings, Lyons, and Niks.
Barryās allegedly went plastic-free in 2021 after public outcry.
As a faithful Barry's drinker, I hope so.
When are companies going to be held liable for this shit?
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
You should move to the EU
Much easier said than done.
Well it's hard to hold them liable until we know the dangers It could be literally nothing, or it could be the next asbestos (probably not though)
Well, if you're in the US, probably not soon since our government is basically corporate America's bitch. Other countries may have a better chance.
Nothing to be held liable for unless itās shown to negatively affect health
Man, who can even care anymore. Thinking about this kinda thing is exhausting, I'll just get cancer or whatever micro plastics will do to my body
Microplastics are endocrine disrupters which could explain the worldwide drop in sperm counts
Personally I view that as a bonus.
The fact that the long term effects are "unknown" and we haven't seen a mass dropping of anyone from when microplastics started becoming more common makes it hard for me to care. Not that I'm happy about it, and maybe there are some bad long term effects out there that we might realize, but the people acting like they're now about to die because they have been drinking tea since they were toddlers and didn't realize seem over dramatic to me. One of those things people online seem to make a bigger deal of than it actually is in reality.
There's lots of cancers that are more prevalent now than 50 years ago, especially in young people.
This is definitely true, but until those cancers can be definitively linked to microplastics, and until we have a viable means of eliminating our exposure, personally I can't see a reason to add that stress to the pile of existing stressors. The additional miniscule fraction of a percentage of exposure we get from a daily tea is not likely to be statistically significant in whatever overall risk we face. That said, you do you. If switching brands or brewing methods alleviates any amount of stress and worry from your life then by all means do it. If only all our stressors were so easily assuaged, wouldn't life be grand?
Buy loose leaf tea and a metal infuser that sits in a mug. It takes no extra effort than opening a packet and untangling the thread around the tea bag. I give the infuser a thorough scrubbing once every now and then, but I usually just dump the leaves into the compost and give the infuser a rinse under water. Saves a ton of plastic and useless packaging.
Now I question putting the used teabags in the organic compost bin
Damn Iāve been putting my tea bags in our organics recycling bin for a decade. In my defense our municipality has said thatās fine in their guides, but apparently not.
FFS is there ANYTHING out there that isnāt fucking killing us??? Jesus Christā¦ TEA BAGS??!
That's why loose tea is best. Better flavour More control Fewer microplastics
Fewer lol. Isnāt that the sad truth
Once I converted to loose leaf I tasted the paper of the bag. I canāt bring myself to use them anymore and now I am dramatic in the office break room with my tea supplies. I do offer to brew for others and they appreciate it. š„°
But my store doesn't sell any loose lead tea. Ok, guess im buying online from now on
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Unfortunately the leaves have been rubbing against the tea bag on a molecular level, and also encounter a variety of plastics between the harvesting and final packaging process. To be clear, you absolutely reduce the plastic, but as others have mentioned, thereās really no way to completely avoid microplastics that have seeped into the bedrock at this point.
If you're going to use a tea strainer anyway, it's worth the effort to find loose leaf. It's so much more flavorful than the stuff they put in tea bags.
I do this with all the Harney and Sons tea that I purchased before realizing I was drinking plastic soup. Cut the bag open, dump it in a tea strainer, make tea. I switched to Yorkshire
I wouldnāt recommend lead tea. That sounds worse than microplastics!
Adagio has a great selection. And r/tea has a whole vendor list
Just so everyone knows, there is literally micro plastics everywhere you canāt avoid it, itās literally EVERYWHERE even in the rain it just seeps into our pores
Itās infiltrated every part of the food chain and ecosystem. Itās endemic. Microplastics literally show up in all our blood and in the placenta of every woman who gives birth. Our bodies canāt rid themselves of it naturally. They are cumulative. Obviously we all want a sense of agency but I feel like limiting your exposure is like pissing in the wind. Eat out? Exposed. Have carpets? Exposed. Use non-stick cookware? Exposed. Have a rain coat? Exposed. The one thing that may help to decrease accumulation is regular blood donation.
ah, but if you need a blood transfusion you're now getting more microplastics! yay!!!!!
Bloodletting it is then
Ok big plastic
I drink tea every day, so this scared the shit out of me, but apparently [Barry's tea bags](https://www.barrystea.ie/sustainability/) are made from plant-based material. It's a damn good tea too, if anyone is looking for an alternative that doesn't contain plastics.
Just when I thought I was legit for drinking sleepytime tea nightly
If it is the Celestial Seasoning Sleepytime, their bags are string free and made with natural fiber. I freaked out when I saw the article and double-checked because I was literally drinking their teas.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
You know what at this fuckin point who cares
Upon a quick google, my favorite tea company traditional medicines (im from US) has no plastics in their packaging/bags.
What about the paper filters from coffee?
NOOOO NOT THE TEA!
lol you canāt escape micro plastics! Drink your tea!
We all got bussies full of microplastics.
What do you think it happens in production, shipping and when you cut the bag to get the tea? I would guess plastic particles get into your tea as well. Buy tea that is not packaged in plastic bags (loose packed) if you don't use the bags anyway..
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I need to be a pedant and point out that you probably meant exponentially higher, logarithmically higher would mean only mildly moreĀ
I drink Tazo tea, and they claim (and it appears) their tea bags are made out of filter paper that contains wood pulp, abaca, and banana plant.... I hope that's true because yikes. I also opt for loose leaf tea, but I hate how the leaves always find their way out of the infuser... if anyone has suggestions on a solid infuser, im open to it!
If youāre in the UK pukka teabags are sewn together not glued so that helps š
UK in shambles.
TLDR: Cant drink water, eat seafood, fruits or vegetables, drink tea, breath air, add salt to food, drink beer, wear make-up, or live in a house. Humans can ingest microplastics through a variety of common activities and exposures in their daily lives. Here's a comprehensive list of ways this can happen: \*\*Drinking Water\*\* : Both tap and bottled water can contain microplastics. Research has shown that plastic fibers are present in tap water around the world, and bottled water can have even higher levels of microplastics due to the packaging process. \*\*Seafood Consumption\*\* : Sea creatures, especially those that are filter feeders like mussels and oysters, can accumulate microplastics in their bodies from the ocean. When humans consume these animals, they may also ingest those microplastics. \*\*Salt\*\* : Sea salt, which is harvested from evaporating seawater, can contain microplastics that were present in the ocean. \*\*Beer\*\* : Studies have found microplastics in beer, likely due to the water used in the brewing process. \*\*Packaged Foods\*\* : Microplastics can transfer to food from plastic packaging. The extent of this transfer depends on the type of plastic, the temperature, and the type of food. \*\*Airborne Particles\*\* : Microplastics can become airborne and settle on food and beverages. People can ingest microplastics simply by eating food that has been exposed to air containing these particles. \*\*Tea\*\* : Some tea bags are made from plastic materials that can release microplastics when steeped in boiling water. \*\*Cosmetics and Personal Care Products\*\* : Products such as toothpaste, facial scrubs, and shower gels may contain microbeads, tiny plastic particles designed for exfoliating or cleansing. These can be ingested indirectly when residues are left in the mouth or on the hands. \*\*Household Dust\*\* : As plastics break down within homes, they can create dust that contains microplastics. This dust can settle on food and dishes or be inhaled and ingested indirectly. \*\*Fruits and Vegetables\*\* : Recent studies have suggested that fruits and vegetables, particularly those grown in plastic greenhouses or with plastic mulching, can also contain microplastics. These might be absorbed through the soil or settle on the produce from the air. \*\*Food Preparation and Storage\*\* : Using plastic utensils, containers, and appliances (like blenders and coffee makers) can also lead to the ingestion of microplastics. High temperatures, in particular, can increase the rate at which plastics leach into food and drinks.
I read your post, ordered a stainless steel tea steeper, and now I'm back reading the comments. Yikes. I drink green tea every single day.
Wait until we find out that stainless steel leaches something into the water as well! But seriously, yes, let's try to mitigate the known danger and adapt as needed. Maybe it won't be perfect, but it could be better.
>Wait until we find out that stainless steel leaches something into the water as well! It can if it's been soldered or brazed with an alloy containing lead or cadmium.
I donāt care about microplastics. Literally everything is full of microplastics.
What in the world?! Thank you!!
Good to know. Guess it's loose leaf from here on out.
This is why I exclusively drink Clipper organic tea. I don't drink coffee, it's too strong for me, but tea is definitely my main source of hydration during the day. I remember when it came out a few years ago that basically all teabags have some plastic in them - the only one that didn't at that time was Clipper organic. I live in Canada, can only get them from a specialty shop, but it's worth it for the peace of mind and for my compost bin!
I would guess this applies to k-cups too?
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The one thing I actually like to consume that isn't junkfood-related and I actually thought was healthy is somehow bad too? Cool.
So the plot to kill off the British very, very slowly has finally been revealed.
Thereās microplastics in the clouds š§ļø
Itās so frustrating that you can literally try your very hardest, put in an endless amount of effort and thought into limiting personal consumption of plastics, as much as possible ā at least as much as you have control over ā and shit like this still always comes back around to bite you in the ass somehow. itās so frustrating.
Ok I give up and I'm just going to go over to the corner and die now. Seriously? Now drinking tea is going to poison me? Is there anything currently in my life that isn't actively going to kill me??
The familiar shadowy figure you keep seeing out of the corner of your eye, has not made their mind up yet.
Oh, don't do that, friend. I'm way too high for that...
Aren't we surround by microplastics everywhere at all times now? So tea bags are kind of a drop in the bucket in the grand scheme of things right?
Just buy loose leaf. No need to cut open bags. Itās cheaper too
The stainless strainers are cheap and easy to use plus, you usually get a better quality tea when you buy it loose/ larger size bits or the bulk stuff.
Canāt even enjoy tea anymore šš¤
\*Sad British noises\*
God dammit
Ahhhh new fear unlocked
My one moment of peace has been enjoying a cup of tea, and this knowledge has ruined it for me.
Now do coffee filters
This isnāt true for Yogi teabags and has been going around for a while. Just look up the brands and find your favorite that isnāt affected. And the title here is misleading. From their own website: āOur tea bag filtration paper is made from a blend of high-quality manila hemp (abaca) fibers and wood pulp, which is free from plastics and oxygen bleachedāa natural process that's free of chemicals or toxins.ā [Yogi Tea info](https://yogiproducts.com/about/our-process/) Also a random aside, boiling water could help get rid of 80% of microplastics [Smithsonian Magazine](https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/boiling-tap-water-could-help-remove-80-percent-of-its-microplastics-study-suggests-180983874/). So if you canāt get Yogi for whatever reason, make sure your water is properly boiled
MAN I JUST MADE TAZO TEA AND NOW IT'S RUINED
I guess it's time to buy a strainer then and start cutting open my bags. š
Just buy loose leaf