What To Do With Leftover Tea

Here’s a guide to how best to dispose of your tea bags and a few creative ideas on  how to reuse them: 

Three ways to reuse your tea bags 

In your beauty regime

• A homemade green tea-based face mask could help reduce acne as it has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibiotic properties 
• A similar green tea-based concoction could also help smooth out fine lines and wrinkles  
• The tannins in the tea can help draw out fluids from body tissues, making cold bags the perfect eye de-puffer

In your home

You can also repurpose used tea bags as a simple and natural plant fertiliser. The tea adds a nitrogen-rich component that helps neutralise the carbon-rich materials found in soil, which will help your house plants thrive, naturally. Read more here.

How to dispose of your tea bags

This will depend on your local waste disposal, but if you have food waste bins that are collected then it’s safe to dispose of your used tea bags in these. It’s generally not possible to put them in your recycling bins, as these are usually reserved for dry waste such as cardboard or tins. Check your local recycling restrictions here.

If you have your own composting system at home, is it possible to put used tea bags in it?

Are tea bags biodegradable?

If you use loose-leaf tea, then as it’s entirely made from natural ingredients and no artificial materials, it’s entirely comfortable. In fact, your compost heap will love you for this addition, as it helps increase the rate of discomposure. Alternatively, they’re also suitable for food waste collection. 

If you’ve been wondering whether tea bags are biodegradable and if so, which ones, then this is the section for you. Generally, if your tea bags are plastic-free then they’ll be biodegradable. Plastic is found for two reasons in tea bag:  

1. Either as a glue to hold the tea bag together
2. Or, the bags themselves contain plastic

Which tea bags are biodegradable?

It’s always worth checking the labels of your favourite tea bags to see if they’re plastic-free before you stop buying them (we know how hard it can be to find the perfect blend sometimes). If you need some help, some of our go-to favourite plastic-free tea brands are:

• Tea Pigs
• Clipper 
• Twinings pyramid range
• Abel & Cole
• Waitrose Dutchy range
• Pukka Herbs 

Let us know what you end up doing with yours in the comments below.