As the world leans further into a more eco-conscious state of being, many of us are beginning to question how healthy the products that we’re consuming are for our planet. More and more of us are wanting to know what’s really in our products, how they are made, and whether they can be responsibly disposed of afterwards.
One particular question that we at Libertine Blends are asked frequently is are tea bags compostable?
We are happy to report that Libertine Blends tea temples are commercially compostable and biodegradable. But, as a general rule of thumb, the majority of tea bags you’ll find in supermarkets are not compostable or fully biodegradable.
Standard teabags contain elements of polypropylene plastic, which are added to the bags during the heat sealing process. These thermoplastics are food-grade, but they don’t break down easily once they are returned to nature.
Indulging in a cup of tea doesn’t have to be bad for our planet, however. Libertine Blend’s tea bags are made from 100% Non-GMO sugarcane and are certified commercially compostable and biodegradable. Our NeoSoilon tea bags are the newest teabag technology currently available and are made from Polylactic Acid (PLA) which is a bioplastic derived directly from non-genetically modified sugarcane.
We realise that being commercially compostable doesn’t solve the problem of wanting to compost your tea bags at home. However, as the majority of our customers are cafe’s who have commercial waste systems in place (Kai to Compost, Organic Waste Management, Kai Cycle), we feel we are doing our small part in the world by providing this option.
If you’re ever in doubt about which tea manufacturer is and isn’t compostable or biodegradable, remember that the tea leaves within your tea bags can always be composted. Simply remove the tea leaves from the bag and pour into your compost (or straight into your garden) and dispose of the empty teabag in your general household waste.
If you’re still unsure or wary of plastics, the number one way we tea drinkers can completely cut-out plastic waste in our tea is by switching to loose-leaf. With a strainer or tea filters, we can all say goodbye to any nasties in our cups of tea, knowing the goodness we are drinking is also good for the planet.
Do you have any more questions about our NeoSoilon tea bags? Leave a comment below or get in touch via email, or Instagram!
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