Love tea? Your daily brew could be serving up billions of micro- and nanoplastics

Your daily cup of tea could be exposing you to tiny plastic particles, according to a recent study.

Researchers have found that tea bags release large amounts of microplastics and nanoplastics when steeped in boiling water. In some cases, a single teabag released over one billion particles, while another study reported more than 14 billion particles from one plastic-based bag.

Many tea bags, though they appear paper-based, contain plastic polymers used for sealing. Some are made from plastic mesh or a mix of plant-based and synthetic fibres. Even bags labelled biodegradable or compostable may still contain plastic components.




Microplastics can also enter tea through packaging materials such as plastic bottles, cups and caps, as well as through contaminated water and tea leaves during production.

Experts say the amount of plastic particles detected varies across studies due to differences in testing methods and materials used. However, tea bags remain one of the biggest contributors when exposed to hot water.

Researchers have also raised concerns about possible health and environmental impacts, noting that tea may contain higher concentrations of these particles compared to many other foods and beverages.

Microplastics have previously been detected in several everyday items, including bottled water, milk, beer, salt, spices, eggs and shellfish.

Tea is the second most consumed beverage globally after water, with production expected to rise from 6.3 million tonnes in 2020 to 7.4 million tonnes by 2025.