New Mcgill Study on Plastic Teabags

by Emeric Harney September 27, 2019 1 min read 29 Comments

We are aware of the new McGill study and working with the Canadian Tea Association to investigate the claim. Read on for our statement.

Our sachets are a BPA free food grade nylon. We have been testing non-GMO biodegradable sugarcane fiber sachet material for about a year now, and have recently started introducing it to some of our product lines. We look forward to expanding the availability of the new material.

We also have some great options for enjoying tea without the sachet. We offer all of our teas as loose tea and encourage people to use durable filters and loose tea as much as possible to minimize packaging waste. The Forlife stainless steel strainer is easy to use and easy to clean.

Our paper tea bags are compostable, oxygen bleached with a method that does not produce dioxins, there is no epichlorohydrin, PET, or PLA in our paper tea bags. We offer a variety of certified organic teas in them. The tea bags are fastened with a knot in the string, there is no glue or staple on the tea bag, and they are a great choice if you have any concerns about plastics.

Please find The Tea Association of the U.S.A. statement on Microparticles and Nanoparticles in Tea from Teabags here.

Emeric Harney

29 Responses

Mary

March 24, 2022

Is there an update on this topic?

Kristen

June 11, 2020

As far as I can see, your Royal Palace blend teas are NOT offered as loose leaf. Am I wrong? If not, Would you please do that? I am very fond of the HRP tea in the light blue tin but am forced to cut up all the tea bags before brewing so that I can at least compose the tea (it’s a bear to get wet leaves out of the bag).

Georgia Weindling

October 29, 2019

Such refreshing directness and honesty! Harney for president! Seriously, thank you for posting this article.

Sandy

October 08, 2019

Thank you for proactively listing this information. I will cut open the sachets for now and transfer them to a reusable strainer and switch to loose tea moving forward. Ill await any updates. Thank you!

Marianne

October 07, 2019

Agree with statements above – so grateful to find the information I came looking for here. I do so love your products. I am going to cut my sachets open and use the tea in one of my strainers and will order bags from now on – but thank you so much for being direct and transparent.

Jay Harter

October 05, 2019

Thanks for the transparency. What do you recommend we do with the plastic tea bags? Will you exchange for another product?

Gail Higgins

October 05, 2019

I came to the website to find out more about this same topic, & like everyone else, was very impressed to find the issue already addressed. Thank you Harney & Sons! I do have one question. I read that the paper teabags are closed with a knot (versus staples or glue), but what about the nylon sachets? Could you tell me how they are sealed? Thank you.

Jarrett Smith

October 05, 2019

Pleased to see that Harney& Sons is on top of this issue. I have a cupboard full of your teas—some loose and some sachets. Nylon is a polymer (with or without PBA) so I guess I will be ditching the sachets. Please let your fans know when replacement sachets are available. Thanks.
PS I save my used tea bags (all kinds) and put a few in my watering can, fill it, and let it sit overnight before watering my houseplants. It’s supposed to help prevent fungi in the soil.

Sherry O'Brien

October 05, 2019

I drink mostly organic loose leaf tea but I do purchase some in teabag and/or sachet, for myself as well as my daughter’s and their families so I’m very happy to see you are on top of the issue as we all love your tea! I’m hopeful for more organic options in the near future.

Marilyn J Schmidt

October 05, 2019

I have been wondering about this ever since I stumbled on this very study. My friend and I were just combing through websites of different tea companies to see who supports an anti-microbead approach to the production of tea bags. Which as far as we are concerned cannot come too soon. But I see you have been proactive, so I thank you for that, you have answered our question.

Kathleen Coleman

October 02, 2019

I came looking for your company’s response to this study, and I’m glad I did. I do drink your tea loose-leaf, but I needed to have the convenience of the tea sachets for work… I hope the biodegradable ones are available soon (and I wish I’d known what the sachets were made of before I’d tossed so many of the used ones into the compost heap because I was too lazy to tear them open….) Thank you!

Michelle

October 02, 2019

Thank you for addressing this. I try to use lose tea as much as possible.

Marilyn Webb

October 02, 2019

I was wondering about that and I thank you for answering my question.

Carrie

October 02, 2019

I came here hoping for a response to the McGill nonoparticles study, and was happy to see it front & center. Thank you. Sachets are my favorite so I don’t know what I’ll do besides research further at this point… but I’m relieved and proud that my favorite tea company believes in truth and transparency. Bravo.

Cynthia Fryklund

October 02, 2019

I was amazed to read that only 4% drink loose tea, how do we entice the 96% to try delicious Harney & Sons loose tea?!

Susan T Case

October 02, 2019

I brought your site up on my computer to inquire about this matter – however, to your great credit, you were ahead of me. That is the Harney’s quality and consumer care that we value. Thanks. (I drink loose tea but have purchased sachets occasionally for travel.)

Kim Pennock

October 02, 2019

Yes! My husband and I were just talking about the study yesterday and lamenting our sachet use. (My husband is convinced the sachets taste better than the loose tea we have of the same variety.) Please send an update when the new sugar cane fiber sachets are up and running and/or which teas are being packaged in them. We would love to make the switch.

Becky

October 02, 2019

I love the nylon tea sachets. They are so pretty. I am going to keep on using them. I just won’t chew them anymore.

Mia Carter

October 02, 2019

Thank you for being proactive on this. Can you assist by updating the site to more easily select teabags and/or looseleaf?

Sherl Taylor

October 02, 2019

Thank you for being on top of the topic. I’ll trust you to do the research to keep us drinking delicious Harney tea safely!

Carolyn Kotlas

October 02, 2019

Thank you for addressing the issues raised in this study. I only use loose tea unless I can only get a particular variety in bag form. And when I have to use bags, I use only paper bags since I compost all used tea leaves. Thankfully, Harney & Sons teas are available as loose leaves and they are my favorite teas.

Deana Chrzan

October 02, 2019

Plastics seem to be everywhere. Thank you for addressing this issue and working on replacing the sachets with something more eco-friendly. Since I rarely have time to drink tea at home, the sachets fit my lifestyle in a way that loose tea just can’t. Thank you again for having wonderful teas!

Mark

October 02, 2019

Thank you for the information. I came here looking for just this info, and it was easy to find. My family drinks Harney teas all the time, and it is good to know you are on top of things!

Lorie Eber

October 02, 2019

Thanks for responding to this concern. I am a flavored tea lover and got a bit concerned. I’m trying your chocolate tea for the first time based on youor glowing reviews. If I like it, chocolate mint won’t be far behind!

Katie Robert

September 27, 2019

Thanks for this information.

Lanae Rhoads

September 27, 2019

I always drink my tea loose but am so thankful that you are already looking for ways to improve your eco-footprint. That’s why we buy from you!!!

Kym

September 27, 2019

Thank you for this post, because I was looking for your company’s response to the study. Although both the study and the position statement from The Tea and Herbal Association of Canada highlight that there is no evidence linking microparticles as a danger to human health, I would still prefer not to drink tea in nylon sachets until we have more solid evidence that microparticles clearly DO NOT pose a risk to human health. Even if it is my favourite, Harney and Sons amazingly delicious tea. I think the less plastic in me, the better. So for now I’ll use the paper tea bags and loose teas. I appreciate that Harney and Sons have been investigating a non-GMO biodegradable sugarcane fiber sachet and I look forward to trying them when they are ready! Thanks Harney and Sons!

Valerie Lewis

September 27, 2019

Thanks so much for being proactive with your statement. Harney tea is amazing and I appreciate that the company was already looking for biodegradable alternatives. I remain a loyal customer and tea drinker!

Kathryn Fitzsimmons

September 27, 2019

Thanks for posting this on the website. It’s helpful.

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