Toxins & Microplastics in Teabags

Teabags are made from numerous materials including cellulose, plastic, or nylon from which billions of microplastics can be released while steeping. Fancier pyramid sachets are often made from rayon, PP (polypropylene), or PET (polyethylene terephthalate) which also have the potential of releasing microplastics during steeping. Paper teabags, we would hope a safer option, are often bleached, coated with epichlorohydrin, sealed with plastic compounds, or have plastic components. To sidestep the cliché of spilling the tea… how about we just uncover these toxins together, shall we?

Do teabags release microplastics?

Toxins & Microplastics Released by Teabags

• Epichlorohydrin: A coating used on paper teabags to keep them from falling apart or bursting during steeping. Identified as a carcinogen and endocrine disruptor.

• PET (polyethylene terephthalate) and Nylon: Fossil-fuel based plastics. These materials break down at temperatures well below the boiling point of water. Studies have shown that they are capable of releasing billions of microplastics and nanoplastics during steeping/brewing. Not biodegradable.

• PP (polypropylene) and Rayon: Thermoplastics which, like their counterparts PET and nylon, release billions of microplastics and nanoplastics during steeping/brewing.

Worth Noting:

• PLA (polylactic acid): Plant-based thermoplastic also referred to as a bioplastic. Derived from (likely GMO) corn, sugarcane, and sugar beets. Considered a safer option, but studies have shown it is only biodegradable in industrial composting facilities, not in soil, home compost, or landfill environments.

Toxin-free Tea Steeping

You can use unsealed, non-bleached paper teabags to avoid these toxins or choose to move away from teabags entirely and steep loose-leaf teas with a stainless steel infuser.

I had very little interest in committing to the hassle of measuring, steeping, and cleaning an infuser to brew loose-leaf tea which felt like a foreign process when compared to dropping a teabag into a cup, but I gave it a go for the sake of seeking a healthier way to drink tea. On the hunt for loose-leaf tea, I came upon a lovely, woman-owned small business, Open Door Tea. Learning about the founder's process and seeing the beautiful earthy loose-leaf teas, I was inspired to treat a cup of tea like a celebration. It surprised me entirely that I quite enjoy making a cup of tea this way. 

Open Door Tea Teabags & Teaware

Free of the Toxins Listed Above

OPEN DOOR TEA TEABAGS & TEAWARE

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Beyond having an impressive variety of loose-leaf teas, many of which are organic, Open Door Tea offers non-toxic teaware so you can choose how you brew:

• Stainless Steel Infuser (fits right over your cup)

• Borosilicate Glass Teapot with Stainless Steel Filter

• Cold Brew Borosilicate Glass Bottle with Stainless Steel Filter

• Double Wall Borosilicate Glass Mug with Stainless Steel Filter

• Double Wall Borosilicate Glass Tumbler with Stainless Steel Filter

• Paper Teabags: eco-friendly, unsealed, non-bleached recycled wood pulp

Then, there's tea itself, which can contain just as many toxins as their outerwear (teabags). if you have the time, come on over to my Toxins in Tea post.