Tea bags are generally made from paper and polypropylene. Those sold in the UK, for example, are 70 to 80 per cent biodegradable, according to a consumer rights watchdog.[1]
The polypropylene is used in heat sealing the bags. On the European continent, a vegetable gum is often used instead - such bags can be 100 percent biodegradable.[1]
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Which? picks holes in tea bag biodegradability, 02-Jul-2010 - Which? is a UK consumer rights watchdog.