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Nicky cigreen

Joined: 25 Jun 2007
Posts: 9967
Location: Devon, uk

Posted: Fri Jun 06, 25 2:24 pm Post subject: plastic teabags

talking about household plastic, I was annoyed to find I am constantly digging the pyramid style teabags out of the current compost heap. The tealeaves, string and tag had long gone but the net was still complete. Particularly annoying as the only source of these was an advent calendar and they had made a big deal about the teabags being plastic free and home compostable, whereas clearly not so. I know it's that company as I otherwise drink loose tea.
After a bit of digging around it turns out that tea companies have not been honest about 'plastic free' as they are still made of plastic, its now a plant based plastic PLA. The paper pouch kind are sealed with it as a glue, the pyramid fancy teabags are made entirely from it, and it doesn't compost and in fact the council have to spend money picking teabags out of the food waste as it doesn't compost in their system either ( its on my local council website). in fact tea companies have now been told they can no longer say 'plastic free' on their boxes, as it is untrue... and are advised that 'home compostable' is untrue too. The tea company haven't changed the statement on their packaging.
So it's just greenwashing again....

for me.. no more teabags, not even at thingymas, loose tea all the way.

Florence

Joined: 15 Mar 2025
Posts: 138

Posted: Fri Jun 06, 25 7:51 pm Post subject:
I won't name names but there is one brand which is truly pernicious at plastic in teabags but make a great range and are well known.

gz

Joined: 23 Jan 2009
Posts: 9244
Location: Ayrshire, Scotland

Posted: Fri Jun 06, 25 8:38 pm Post subject:
Meaning "the real deal" in Hindi? They were supposed to be going plastic free in the bags, but the individual packets are still light plastic lined

Nicky cigreen

Joined: 25 Jun 2007
Posts: 9967
Location: Devon, uk

Posted: Fri Jun 06, 25 8:55 pm Post subject:

gz wrote:

....
They were supposed to be going plastic free in the bags, but the individual packets are still light plastic lined

pretty much all the mainstream tea bag brands claim to be 'plastic free' when in fact they just switched to a plant based plastic known as PLA - and although it is not derived from fossil fuels, it is still actually a plastic and behaves just like the original plastic and you are supposed to put them in landfill waste rather than food waste. From 2020 regulations changed and they can't refer to them as plastic free any more ( source = clipper tea) but in fact, I am still finding they do

This article from moral fibres gives an in depth explanation and lists which tea bags are actually biodegradable/ PLA free/ home compostable. spoiler: not many

I use loose tea and a stainless steel filter that sits in the mug. The spent tea leaves go on the compost heap.

gz

Joined: 23 Jan 2009
Posts: 9244
Location: Ayrshire, Scotland

Posted: Sat Jun 07, 25 6:47 am Post subject:

gz wrote:

Meaning "the real deal" in Hindi?
They were supposed to be going plastic free in the bags, but the individual packets are still light plastic lined

Good to read that they are one of the few that are home compostable.

Pity about the others using PLA...ok if you use council food waste.....

Florence

Joined: 15 Mar 2025
Posts: 138

Posted: Sat Jun 07, 25 7:13 am Post subject:
My nightmare over the years was Teapigs - never could get the blighters to compost and I ran really good compost bins. Never mind their claims if they don't compost under decent conditions. Other brands were better behaved.

Slim

Joined: 05 Mar 2006
Posts: 6709
Location: New England (In the US of A)

Posted: Sat Jun 07, 25 11:48 am Post subject:
I feel like you're glossing over the but that's most concerning to me, and why I try to use loose leaf (herbal teas) whenever possible..... Microplastics immediately flood your beverage when the bags are wetted with boiling water

Nicky cigreen

Joined: 25 Jun 2007
Posts: 9967
Location: Devon, uk

Posted: Sat Jun 07, 25 1:04 pm Post subject:

Florence wrote:

My nightmare over the years was Teapigs - never could get the blighters to compost and I ran really good compost bins. Never mind their claims if they don't compost under decent conditions. Other brands were better behaved.

yes, the pyramid style bags are the worst... they never rot down

Nicky cigreen

Joined: 25 Jun 2007
Posts: 9967
Location: Devon, uk

Posted: Sat Jun 07, 25 1:09 pm Post subject:

Slim wrote:

I feel like you're glossing over the but that's most concerning to me, and why I try to use loose leaf (herbal teas) whenever possible..... Microplastics immediately flood your beverage when the bags are wetted with boiling water

indeed, I was fooled by the packaging and website claims ( which are still there) that the bags are 'plastic free' - turns out they are still made from plastic, even if it is plant derived.

Loose tea all the way from now on.

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 16508

Posted: Tue Jun 10, 25 2:07 pm Post subject:
I find most of the bag disappears but the plastic 'glue' is left, so hoik that out of the compost heap as I find. We use a mixture of loose leaf and tea bags as that is more convenient.

Nicky cigreen

Joined: 25 Jun 2007
Posts: 9967
Location: Devon, uk

Posted: Tue Jun 10, 25 3:56 pm Post subject:

Mistress Rose wrote:

I find most of the bag disappears but the plastic 'glue' is left, so hoik that out of the compost heap as I find. We use a mixture of loose leaf and tea bags as that is more convenient.

yeh the pillow type are made from paper and its only the glue that is plastic... still not sure i want that in my hot drink - but they are much better than the pyramid style bags

Florence

Joined: 15 Mar 2025
Posts: 138

Posted: Wed Jun 11, 25 1:06 pm Post subject:
In a one person household how economical is a teapot I ask myself.

Nicky cigreen

Joined: 25 Jun 2007
Posts: 9967
Location: Devon, uk

Posted: Wed Jun 11, 25 4:29 pm Post subject:

Florence wrote:

In a one person household how economical is a teapot I ask myself.

depends on your tea habits. if you are the type that likes to make a big strong brew, stick a cosy on it and drink tea constantly, probably very economical.

personally I don't like stewed tea, so I have a metal mug infuser that drops into a mug. in goes a teaspoon of loose tea, in goes hot water, I can eyeball it to see when it is the right strength. much more economical than a teapot. Some people reuse the tea in the filter again, I don't. I use less tea and think it tastes better.

Ty Gwyn

Joined: 22 Sep 2010
Posts: 4632
Location: Lampeter

Posted: Wed Jun 11, 25 6:47 pm Post subject:
Is that like a strainer but in the mug not on top as normal,so the used tea can be taken out?

gz

Joined: 23 Jan 2009
Posts: 9244
Location: Ayrshire, Scotland

Posted: Wed Jun 11, 25 7:52 pm Post subject:
Even tea for one is best from an individual teapot, brewed properly whether bagged or loose...and appreciated in a ceramic mug or cup Although Billy tea can be nice, sitting around a fire...

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