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.

  • @lemmy_outta_here
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    1023 hours ago

    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.

    • TipRing
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      310 hours 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
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      10 hours ago

      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.

      • @PumaStoleMyBluff
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        59 hours ago

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

      • @lemmy_outta_here
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        14 hours 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.

      • @[email protected]
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        fedilink
        620 hours ago

        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