[BumbleJo]

So I’ve been merrily chucking all our tea bags in to the compost bin to now discover (BBC News) that there are small amounts of plastic in them, I think it’s in the glue used to seal them, that doesn’t degrade.  I’m trying to find some that are fully biodegradable but there doesn’t seem to be any ‘mainstream’ ones.  The only alternative is to open each one  and dispose of the bag in the normal rubbish to stop bits of plastic getting into the soil but I’d rather not use any with plastic in them.  The only other alternative is to use loose tea.  I welcome your thoughts on this folks and if you know of fully biodegradable ones that I can easily buy..
Cheers.

[mumofstig]

When I spread the compost, I've always just raked off the plastic that didn't degrade and put it in the waste bin.

[greenjay]

I think all tea bags have had some sort of treatment cos if paper gets wet the contents fall out.
saying that I compost mine and don't seem to have to much of a problem with them being visible when emptying the compost heap.
as a child we never had tea bags just loose tea which if I remember got washed down the sink!

[oldgrunge]

I think all tea bags have had some sort of treatment cos if paper gets wet the contents fall out.
saying that I compost mine and don't seem to have to much of a problem with them being visible when emptying the compost heap.
as a child we never had tea bags just loose tea which if I remember got washed down the sink!

Same here, green jay. Only we always threw our tea leaves on the rhubarb.

[Eblana]

I have more or less stopped using teabags.  I got a present of a lovely teapot for 1 which has a filter for loose tea (if you fill it it actually makes enough for two) It made such nice tea that I went out and bought the two and four cup pots and now I only use loose tea and after having tea in my house so do many of my friends and family.  I have a little caddy on my counter top and the used leaves go in there and are taken to the compost heap up at the plot.

[engineer]

For a report in 2017 on major suppliers of tea bags, have a look here   
moralfibres.co.uk/is-there-plastic-in-your-tea   it appears most do contain some plastics!

[compostqueen]

the ones i use don't compost from what I have seen.  They get sieved and chucked back in the compost.  they might break down eventually  I do use leaf tea as well and that gets composted too. All grist to the mill

[madcat]

The green tea bags that my mother uses don't compost at all! Have to use the rip and rake technique there.  My english breakfast ones disappear ....  Loose tea for one seems a faff, but since I do use a teapot (always want two cups) I suppose it wouldnt be that hard to change.  Hmmmmm....

[arh]

Eblana, do you have a "brand/name" for this tea pot please?

[Dantheman]

HI,

I've the same problem about the bags not composting down 100%, Out of curiosity do you buy your loose
tea from the supermarket or do you get it from elsewhere?  How does the price compare to buying bags?

Thanks Dan

[snowdrops]

Hubby had mentioned having loose tea, so. Bought him a teapot with filter in it from Sainsbury’s for his birthday,mind you that was in November & it’s still in the bedroom, so maybe he didn’t want it really lol, he wondered about better tasting tea than what’s in the tea bags, as we buy freshly ground coffee online . I did see that M&S had a stainless steel tea pot with the filter in & I also think Bodrun (spelling) do them too.
https://www.sainsburys.co.uk/shop/gb/groceries/mugs--cafetieres---teapots-281865-44/sainsburys-home-glassteapot-with-infuser-131416639-p
Bodum
https://www.bodum.com/gb/en/tea/teapots?gclid=Cj0KCQiAwKvTBRC2ARIsAL0Dgk39s9BdIuRgEnGST1GswEwFsAkZh_Nd5D-ZIwrKvS6WUPXq97UO1f4aAlb0EALw_wcB

[Eblana]

Eblana, do you have a "brand/name" for this tea pot please?

London Pottery Company Filter Teapot

[Eblana]

HI,

I've the same problem about the bags not composting down 100%, Out of curiosity do you buy your loose
tea from the supermarket or do you get it from elsewhere?  How does the price compare to buying bags?

Thanks Dan

I just buy it in the supermarket, same brand as the teabags.  It does work out marginally more expensive because I use their gold blend loose leaf because I find I get a stronger brew from it but if I used their ordinary tea I don’t think there would be much in it.

[Dantheman]

HI,

I've the same problem about the bags not composting down 100%, Out of curiosity do you buy your loose
tea from the supermarket or do you get it from elsewhere?  How does the price compare to buying bags?

Thanks Dan

I just buy it in the supermarket, same brand as the teabags.  It does work out marginally more expensive because I use their gold blend loose leaf because I find I get a stronger brew from it but if I used their ordinary tea I don’t think there would be much in it.

Ok thanks great.

[Plot 1 Problems]

For what it's worth I drink Asda'a own brand tea and I've found no trace of the bags in my compost. Even when I've got my glasses on