tea bags

**WendyC** · 07-05-2013, 07:33 PM

Some teabags have plastic in the bag, that's why some of them don't rot down completely. Apparently it's the cheaper brands. Other than that I don't see why not.

**Florence Fennel** · 08-05-2013, 06:09 AM

I wouldn't Shepp. At least the shredded paper breaks down after a while - the tea bags don't. I've stopped putting them in my compost bins for that reason. I do use some sometimes in the bottom of pots.

**chris** · 08-05-2013, 07:13 AM

I used to tear the bags, and then empty them in the compost - you could do that I suppose, now I just sling the lot in the compost - I haven't noticed any bags from the yorkshire tea bags we use, but the teapigs bags are still in my compost bin (well, not now, I went through it the other weekend and got rid of them. The tea has gone, but the bags were still there).

**Bren In Pots** · 08-05-2013, 07:17 AM

Cut out the bags altogether and use loose leaf tea, you do get a better brew.

**bearded bloke** · 08-05-2013, 07:45 AM

Originally posted by chris View Post

The tea has gone, but the bags were still there

That happens to me as well,not too much of a biggie picking out the "empties" as it is spread though

**arpoet** · 08-05-2013, 07:56 AM

Chuck em I a bucket and when half full top up with water and leave them to rot that way. After a few weeks you should be able to drain off the liquid into your water butts and dump whats left on the compost heap.

**Veggielot** · 08-07-2013, 08:06 PM

I found the remains of a teabag in my compost and was wondering if there is anyway of finding out which teabags include non compostable material.

**Martin H** · 08-07-2013, 08:35 PM

I understand that pretty much all of them contain artificial fibres nowadays. The pure paper ones of the early days of teabags were too flimsy and used to break a lot, so people wouldn't buy them.

I don't put teabags in the compost any more. I'm told that if you tear each bag first it's okay, but you'll still be getting polyester fibres in the compost forever more and it's a lot of faff. So sorry but most of mine go whole into the landfill except when I'm patient enough to empty each one out, which isn't very often.

**zazen999** · 08-07-2013, 10:13 PM

Interesting. I've always put tea bags in the compost and have never found them not composted. Yorkshire Tea before you ask.

**Martin H** · 08-07-2013, 10:40 PM

Found a thread from a couple of years ago, including this post, zaz: http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...tml#post837999

**zazen999** · 08-07-2013, 10:57 PM

Originally posted by Martin H View Post

Found a thread from a couple of years ago, including this post, zaz: http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...tml#post837999

Well, I have yet to find one uncomposted and I've been composting heavily for a solid 7 years at this house.

**shepp726** · 09-07-2013, 06:05 AM

i keep composting them but haven't emptied the compost bin yet so fingers crossed.

**Two_Sheds** · 09-07-2013, 06:43 AM

Originally posted by Veggielot View Post

wondering if there is anyway of finding out which teabags include non compostable material.

Jacksons of Piccadilly is the only brand to have no plastic in the bag, apparently:

Most UK teabags not fully biodegradeable, research reveals | Environment | guardian.co.uk

**Two_Sheds** · 09-07-2013, 06:47 AM

Originally posted by Martin H View Post

you'll still be getting polyester fibres in the compost forever more and it's a lot of faff.

Not that much faff, really. The teachers' teabags go in the school daleks whole. The tea disappears along with the paper part of the bag, and I'm left with little white 'ghosts' of plastic netting, which are easy to spot and fish out of the finished compost. Then they go in landfill.

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