Your Cup Might Be Brewing More Than You Expect: Tea Bags Release Billions Of Microplastics

The researchers suggest that the regulatory policies should focus on reducing plastic contamination in materials that come into contact with food. (Credit: Image by Freepik)

For many, a cup of tea is the perfect way to start the day or unwind in the afternoon. Known for its health benefits, tea is daily a staple in several households. But, a recent study has revealed a surprising hidden risk of drinking tea: microplastics leaching into your drink from the tea bags themselves.

The researchers analyzed tea bags made out of different materials such as nylon-6, polypropylene, and cellulose and found that a single tea bag can release more than 8 million nanoplastic particles into the drink during steeping. Among these materials, tea bags made from polypropylene released the highest number, about 1.2 billion particles per milliliter, according to the results published in Chemosphere.