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Some tea bags may shed billions of microplastics per cup

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Re: Some tea bags may shed billions of microplastics per cup

#221

Post by test1235 »

FartyMcFarter wrote: post #176
test1235 wrote: post #142

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No opinion on the quality of their tea, but Tea Pigs was the first brand which came to mind when I read 'plastic teabag': https://www.teapigs.co.uk/tea/shop-by-category/black/single-...

They claim they don't use plastic at all, not even for packaging: https://www.teapigs.co.uk/about/sustainability-and-values

That's an excellent page - I wish I had found that while I was browsing around. I've long been suspicious of the materials of these 'luxury' teabags (but that's probably the traditionalist in me).

EDIT: in fact, looking at this page[1], it seems they might be one of the only ones who do make a biodegradable bag ...

1. https://www.scotsman.com/read-this/is-your-favourite-tea-mad...

Re: Some tea bags may shed billions of microplastics per cup

#222

Post by wtdata »

There is no going back about cleaning plastics by traditional methods now unfortunately.

The only real solution I see is if we bio-engineer some bacteria/microorganism capable of decomposing it and release it in the environment. It might be a danregous proposition, but (expect the even more advanced and potentially dangerous proposition of nanites) I can't see any other way of getting rid of all the plastic we already put into the environment even if we stop producing it.

Re: Some tea bags may shed billions of microplastics per cup

#224

Post by tripzilch »

> the tea bags released microplastic and even smaller nanoplastic particles — and not just the hundreds or thousands Tufenkji had been expecting.

this is a misleading title. if one microplastic is a thousand nanoplastics then obviously it's going to be trillions of nanoplastics and billions of microplastics.

> "We were shocked when we saw billions of particles in a single cup of tea," she said.

So if you get this "bubble tea" with tapioca balls in it, are they macro particles?

Re: Some tea bags may shed billions of microplastics per cup

#225

Post by tripzilch »

simias wrote: post #7

Loose tea is often cheaper and of better quality in my experience. If you brew tea a lot using a reusable strainer seems like a much better choice. I'm also entirely convinced that these plastic pyramid-shaped bags are pure marketing. Then again, I find Lipton tea absolutely terrible regardless of the shape of the bag.

> Then again, I find Lipton tea absolutely terrible regardless of the shape of the bag.

I was gonna say, they literally taste worse than the cheaper paper-based tea bags. I mean loose leaf is nice, but those plastic pyramid things are just shit.

Re: Some tea bags may shed billions of microplastics per cup

#226

Post by tripzilch »

roboys wrote: post #53
simias wrote: post #7

Loose tea is often cheaper and of better quality in my experience. If you brew tea a lot using a reusable strainer seems like a much better choice. I'm also entirely convinced that these plastic pyramid-shaped bags are pure marketing. Then again, I find Lipton tea absolutely terrible regardless of the shape of the bag.

My buddy used to work for Lipton. He explained that they use the cheapest grade of tea (dust) available. Also many tea companies mix non-tea additives (fillers) to their tea bags. After hearing this I decided, if it's not full loose leaf, I don't drink it. We found that companies like Elephant Chateau ( http://elephantchateau.com ) deliver the 3 highest grades of tea direct from Ceylon mountain estates with the optio…

I mean, there is a middle road of convenience made out of not-Lipton tea in paper bags.

It's not as good as loose leaf, obviously. But it's also not dust with flavourings.

Re: Some tea bags may shed billions of microplastics per cup

#227

Post by tripzilch »

jdnenej wrote: post #194
roboys wrote: post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My buddy used to work for Lipton. He explained that they use the cheapest grade of tea (dust) available. Also many tea companies mix non-tea additives (fillers) to their tea bags. After hearing this I decided, if it's not full loose leaf, I don't drink it. We found that companies like Elephant Chateau ( http://elephantchateau.com ) deliver the 3 highest grades of tea direct from Ceylon mountain estates with the optio…

People add sugar to tea O.O? I understand it for coffee but tea isn't even bitter. That's just insane.

For coffee???? o_O

Re: Some tea bags may shed billions of microplastics per cup

#228

Post by gambiting »

jdnenej wrote: post #194
roboys wrote: post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My buddy used to work for Lipton. He explained that they use the cheapest grade of tea (dust) available. Also many tea companies mix non-tea additives (fillers) to their tea bags. After hearing this I decided, if it's not full loose leaf, I don't drink it. We found that companies like Elephant Chateau ( http://elephantchateau.com ) deliver the 3 highest grades of tea direct from Ceylon mountain estates with the optio…

People add sugar to tea O.O? I understand it for coffee but tea isn't even bitter. That's just insane.

Tea + lemon + sugar is the only way to drink it. True madness is milk in tea, those two liquids should just never go together. And coffee...I guess that's why the best most delicious coffee I buy is literally whatever is cheapest at Lidl - milk and sugar make all coffee taste acceptable.

//obviously, I realize that people around the world have different tastes :P Where I am from literally no one drinks tea with milk, but adding a slice of lemon is extremely popular(I can guarantee that if you order tea at a restaurant it will be served with a slice of lemon to the side), but in the UK it's the opposite - people look at you like you are some kind of demon for adding lemon to tea.

Re: Some tea bags may shed billions of microplastics per cup

#229

Post by _carl_jung »

tripzilch wrote: post #224

> the tea bags released microplastic and even smaller nanoplastic particles — and not just the hundreds or thousands Tufenkji had been expecting. this is a misleading title. if one microplastic is a thousand nanoplastics then obviously it's going to be trillions of nanoplastics and billions of microplastics. > "We were shocked when we saw billions of particles in a single cup of tea," she said. So if you get this "bu…

No, because it depends on how it's breaking down. If you have one cohesive sheet of plastic, it would be wrong to say that you have trillions of nanoparticles of plastic.

The concerns with plastics that break up into many smaller pieces and enter the body and wider ecosystem are different (and potentially worse) than the concerns of the impacts of a single macro piece.

Re: Some tea bags may shed billions of microplastics per cup

#230

Post by cjrp »

roboys wrote: post #212
fortran77 wrote: post #210

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I really doubt you had a buddy that worked for Unilever who told you "Lipton uses the cheapest grade of tea (dust)" and that companies add non-tea additives. This is a rumor that's swirling around sites like "Food Babe" but is pure nonsense. See: https://www.unileverusa.com/news/press-releases/2005/lipton-...

Can't compare the grade of loose leaf I'm talking about to the dust Lipton sells, having tasted the difference. Even visually...it's like comparing champagne to cooking wine. Elephant Chateau - https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61N4gza3WuL... Lipton (similar look) - http://ongsambee.com.sg/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/tea-dust.... In this case the proof is in the pudding, and Lipton happens to make espec…

Isn't it just that the Lipton's content is crushed up, presumably to reduce brewing time?
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