THE PROBLEM WITH MASS MARKET TEA BAGS
In a 2024 study, scientists found that brewing tea with a tea bag made from plastic can release about 11.6 billion microplastics and 3.1 billion nanoplastics into your cup of tea.
Even ‘food grade’ plastics used to make modern tea bags like polypropylene and nylon can break down or release harmful materials when heated over 40°C. This is concerning since water is regularly heated to 95°C or more while making tea. These plastic and microplastic particles can take hundreds of years to decompose in nature.
Additional compounds including fluorine, arsenic, radium salt, aluminum, copper, lead, mercury, cadmium, barium, nitrates, and many more have been found in tea bags. Making more than plastics a concern for tea drinkers.
"Microplastics and nanoplastics in tea: Sources, characteristics and potential impacts"
The Journal of Food Chemistry, February 2025
HORMONE DISRUPTION
Microplastics interfere with the production, release, transport, metabolism, and elimination of hormones, which can cause endocrine disruption and lead to various endocrine disorders.
"Health Effects of Microplastic Exposures: Current Issues and Perspectives"
Yonsei Medical Journal, April 2023
HEART ATTACKS AND STROKE
A study involving 257 patients undergoing carotid artery surgeries found that 58% had microplastics in their arterial plaques. Those with microplastics were 4.5 times more likely to experience heart attacks, strokes, or death within approximately three years compared to those without.
"Microplastics and Nanoplastics in Atheromas and Cardiovascular Events"
New England Journal of Medicine, March 2024
NEUROTOXIN
Experiments show that exposure to microplastics induces a variety of toxic effects, including oxidative stress, metabolic disorder, immune response, neurotoxicity, as well as reproductive and developmental toxicity
"Potential Health Impact of Microplastics: A Review of Environmental Distribution, Human Exposure, and Toxic Effects"
Environment & Health Journal, August 2023
