this post was submitted on 10 Jan 2025

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Your tea bag is likely releasing billions of microplastic particles, according to a new study (www.foodandwine.com)

submitted 3 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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Summary

A new study from Spain’s Autonomous University of Barcelona reveals that tea bags made from nylon, polypropylene, and cellulose release billions of micro- and nanoplastic particles when steeped in boiling water.

These particles, which can enter human intestinal cells, may pose health risks, potentially affecting the digestive, respiratory, endocrine, and immune systems.

Researchers urge regulatory action to mitigate plastic contamination in food packaging.

Consumers are advised to use loose-leaf tea with stainless steel infusers or biodegradable tea bags to minimize exposure.

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 3 months ago (1 children)

I think the new eu bottle caps as well(even when using milk cartons) becuse when you open it they usually have a piece sticking out on the cap that catches on the threads to keep it open, and sometimes i see small plastic pieces flying everywhere when i open one of them. Presumably the plastic catch is breaking pieces of the thread off.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago (1 children)

I believe there was a study that plastic bottle cap seals release tens or hundreds of thousands of plastic particles upon breaking open, however I don't think they would be visible to the naked eye. More likely you are seeing dried up particles of whatever liquid is inside the container.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 months ago (4 children)

Yeah maybe. I just dont understand in general why we are using plastic. Aluminuim and glass fill basically evey usecase of plastic.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

Glass is by far superior but shipping it is more costly and results in more breakage.

All aluminum food and drink containers still have a plastic liner in them to avoid corrosion. Still way better than fully plastic containers for most uses though.

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 3 months ago

This is why I simply tear open the tea bags and dump them into a fine mesh stainless steel basket and set it in the cup.

I have yet to find loose leaf tea tasty enough to repeat buy but I do have 3-4 flavors of bagged tea I always keep stocked.

The biggest downside to doing my favorite bagged teas this way is it’s a pain to clean out the metal basket when I just want another cup the next day, but to me the trade off on sidestepping the microplastic issue is worthwhile

[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

Cool, now do coffee pods.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 months ago (7 children)

One thing to note with all these articles; so far, there are no major comprehensive studies that definitively show microplastics are a danger to the body, or show what levels are considered acceptable or not.

Considering the entire world population hasn't just collectively died in the last 50 years, I'm leaning towards the effects of microplastics being negligible, or at least a hell of a lot less dangerous than other established risks like processed meat or direct sunlight.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 months ago

there are no major comprehensive studies that definitively show microplastics are a danger to the body

I'm not sure what your criteria for "major comprehensive study" is, but there are countless studies linking microplastics to all sorts of things. Most arterial plaques are full of microplastics. The massive drop of male fertility rates (50% globally) has been linked to microplastics. Microplastics have been demonstrated to interfere at the cellular level by mimicking hormones.

The specifics of everything that they're doing to us is still unknown. But we know many bad things microplastics definitely are doing.

We're WELL past "are microplastics bad?". We're at the point of figuring out how badly screwed we are.

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