BAN ON SHIPPING PLASTIC WASTE OUTSIDE THE EU
Waste exports to countries outside the EU have been curbed. The Netherlands opposes an outright ban on shipping plastic waste.
Paper teabags contain plastic
Amsterdam, May 16 2018 – The BBC has recently demonstrated that teabags which appear to be made of only paper sometimes also contain plastic. The added plastic, however, is rarely mentioned on the packaging, and so the consumer remains blissfully unaware. Plastic teabags are just another way for microplastics to end up in the environment, and likely also the human body — without the tea-drinkers’ knowledge.
We were already aware of the nylon pyramid bags from Lipton and other brands, but it has now been proven that we no longer can assume that paper teabags only contain paper. The English company Co-Op Food is currently developing polypropylene-free teabags; in this case, the company is following the lead of brands such as Jacksons, Picadilly, and Teapigs (teabags made of biodegradable plastic). The Co-op food initiative is a response to the public debate surrounding plastic in England. Other brands can be expected to follow in their wake.
Until companies that sell tea guarantee that their bags are 100% plastic free, consumers will not know if their beverage contains plastic. In any case, there is always a plastic-free alternative: buy loose tea and use a tea egg or a teapot filter.
Also read: Microplastics in bottled water
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