this post was submitted on 21 Dec 2024
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Commercial tea bags release millions of microplastics, entering human intestinal cells (medicalxpress.com)
submitted 2 weeks ago by Bampot to c/dangerdust
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UAB research has characterized in detail how polymer-based commercial tea bags release millions of nanoplastics and microplastics when infused. The study shows for the first time the capacity of these particles to be absorbed by human intestinal cells, and are thus able to reach the bloodstream and spread throughout the body.

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[–] [email protected] 15 points 2 weeks ago (3 children)

Is there a way to tell whether teabags use these materials? It's not really something listed in the ingredients

[–] lemmy_outta_here 10 points 2 weeks ago (3 children)

I have bad news: even "non-plastic" tea bags have plastic fibres woven into the paper/cloth. These fibres allow the material to be sealed with heat. Best to use loose leaf and a strainer.

[–] amzd 4 points 2 weeks ago (3 children)

even “non-plastic” tea bags have plastic fibers woven into the paper/cloth.

Source? For example the clipper website says they don’t use plastic, how do you know it still has plastic? https://www.clipper-teas.com/tea-talk/plastic-free-tea-bags/

[–] PumaStoleMyBluff 9 points 1 week ago

Read that link carefully, there's a lot of flowery language but they do not say their bags are plastic-free.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

There is also this page that says which tea brand don’t use plastics with sources to the announcement.

Unless they were talking about PLA plastics which from a (very) quick search seems to pose no risk

[–] lemmy_outta_here 4 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

I have more bad news: [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969724007307](Are bioplastics safe? Hazardous effects of polylactic acid (PLA) nanoplastics in Drosophila)

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Your study is from 1/4/24 the one I linked is from 26/6/24

Or am I just being a muppet here?

[–] lemmy_outta_here 4 points 1 week ago

Silly me. Glad that is resolved.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Findings from a new meta-study sponsored by Holland Bioplastics, Futerro, TotalEnergies Corbion, and NatureWorks reveal that PLA ‘eventually’ fully hydrolyses and biodegrades in the environment

This is the summary blurb at the top of the article.

I would be very skeptical of ingesting something and believing it harmless if the study finds that it eventually breaks down in the environment, let alone it’s clearly funded by a company with ‘bioplastics’ in the company name.

[–] lemmy_outta_here 5 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

National institute of health: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10389239/ If a company makes a claim that their bags are 100% plastic free, that is great. Just don't assume that paper bag = no plastic.

By the way: the clipper website says they use PLA, which is a plastic - just not a petroleum plastic. Its health effects are being investigated.

[–] TipRing 4 points 1 week ago

I drink Barry's which say they are 100% plastic free and biodegradable, but now I wonder how to find out if that is true.

[–] NotMyOldRedditName 3 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

So my tea bags that have a little staple to keep it together might be okay?

Edit: The other kind I have is the top folded over and the string tied through it, but no staple.

[–] lemmy_outta_here 2 points 1 week ago

A staple is probably a good sign. I think the thermosealed ones have a crimped edge

[–] RustyHeater 1 points 1 week ago

Linked Source here. Sample 3 is a round teabag which is a distinct feature of Tetley tea. Although I'm sure other brands may use that design too.

[–] iAvicenna 1 points 1 week ago

some brands write on their packaging that the bags are plant based. pukka is one of them, PG tips another.