How to Avoid Microplastics In Your Tea
When choosing tea, it's crucial to consider eco-friendly tea brewing methods and plastic-free options to avoid microplastics in your brew. While many tea bags are crafted from paper, certain brands produce plastic tea bags, posing environmental and health risks. Steeping plastic tea bags can release billions of microplastics into your cup. However, not many people know that plastic teabags contain microplastics.
What Are Microplastics?
Microplastics are small pieces of non-biodegradable plastic. Not only does it contribute to excess waste in the ocean, but they are also now being ingested. Although there is no evidence that directly links health issues and microplastics, ingesting them could potentially lead to developmental issues or future health problems. Now, studies show that microplastics found in plastic tea bags are far greater than microplastics found in food.
How Microplastics End Up In Your Tea
Many tea brands manufacture plastic tea bags made out of polypropylene. Polypropylene is a sealing plastic, which seals the tea bag and keeps its shape after brewing in hot liquid. The American Chemical Society (ACS) found that steeping a single plastic tea bag at brewing temperature (95°C) releases a billion microplastics and nanoplastics into a cup of tea.
Alternatives to Plastic Tea Bags, Plastic-Free Tea Options
Although there are tea brands that use plastic tea bags, a greater number of brands are mainly using paper teabags. In addition, they are opting for organic, biodegradable alternatives for an eco-friendly tea brewing. For instance, some brands use organic cotton or corn-starch with polylactic acid to seal their tea bags without using plastic. Their methods involve mainly plant-based materials to manufacture their teabags.
At Senbird Tea, our tea bags are made from biodegradable corn fiber. It is an eco-friendly and organic alternative to synthetic fabrics. Microplastics are almost impossible to avoid, but the next time you purchase tea, it might be best to opt for plastic-free tea bags or loose tea instead!
🍵 Drinking our tea? Snap a pic and tag us on Instagram at @senbirdtea or #senbirdtea. We’d love to see your moment with tea!
If you want to read more articles on sustainability check them out here:
- 3 Ways to Use Green Tea Leaves in Your Garden
- How To Make Rice Seasoning (Furikake) With Used Green Tea Leaves
- 10 DIY Fun and Easy Ways to Reuse and Recycle Your Tea Tins
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