Microplastics in tea bags pose health risks, warn physicians

KABUL (Pajhwok): Plastic materials such as propylene and nylon are used in tea bags which can harm human health and damage environment, the Public Health Ministry warned in a report.

Meanwhile, a number of social media pages’ users claim some plastic substances are used in tea packets which get dissolved in boiled water and can harm the health of humans. Physicians also confirm this claim and advise people to remove tea bags as soon as possible from tea cups.

Report: Substances such as nylon, propylene harm humans’ health

Dr. Naeemullah Ayubi, head of Food Safety Department at the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), shared a report about tea packets with Pajhwok Afghan News.

The report said: “Different substances are used in the production of tea packets in the world which leave different impacts on human health. In this report, we have examined common materials used in tea packets and their properties.”

The report said research reveals in some cases a fiber called abaca (banana wood) is used in the production of tea packets. In some cases a plastic material called propylene is also added to abaca to make it more resistance. If no plastic was used in this paper, it is decomposed easily in the environment.

The research also shows that silk is used in some expensive tea packets. This natural material, in some cases does not decompose quickly in the environment due to it process.

But in some other cases, plastic (nylon) is added to tea bags which is more durable but can be decomposed into micro-plastic fractions in hot water and can damage environment.

The use of nylon and propylene in tea packets can release micro-plastic fractions in boiled water and harm humans’ health. Therefore, tea bag manufacturers should pay more attention to using natural and biodegradable materials.

Ideas shared on social media pages

Ahmad Ramish Mukhlis wrote on his Facebook page: “The tea bags are cancerous!” He further advised the people to avoid the use of black tea bags due to the use of “Epichlorohydrin” in plastics.

Khabar Online site warned and said: “If you use packets tea, take this warning seriously.”

Khbar Online said, according to research conducted at American universities, it has been proven that many of the materials used in tea bags are harmful to health because these bags contain substances called microplastics, while in the past, tea bags were made of paper.

The site added: “The results of the ‘Environmental Science & Technology’ magazine are alarming. Each of the immersed tea bag in hot water was turned into billions of microplastic and nanoplastic particles were released into a cup.”

The article concluded, scientists believe that such tea can have disastrous results for human-body in long term.

Experts

Dr. Mohammad Omar Malekzia, head of Pathology department at the Cure International Hospital told Pajhwok Afghan News, no research has been conducted about tea bags in Afghanistan, but scientific studies conducted around the world show that these bags consist of plastic or microplastic components that cause cancer, but tea itself is not a problem.

Malekzai said: “Research must be conducted on this matter, because recently we have seen various types of teas being imported to Afghanistan and sold in the markets of Kabul.”

Dr. Sayed Farid Shah Rafeyee, General Internal Medicine Specialist at Wazir Mohammad Akbar Kahn hospital said tea bags harm the health of humans.

Rafeyee said: “Plastic or paper is used in tea packets which can possibly contain harmful chemicals such as Bisphenol. If this substance is in contact with hot water it can enter the human body and cause different hormone disorders and result into infertility, diabetes, cancer and obesity.”

He urged the people to use good quality tea and said: “The people must use tea with leaves and add more plants to their tea such as chamomile, mint, saffron and others.”

Dr. Mujtaba Maroof Khel also confirmed that plastic was used in the production of tea bags, which released microplastic particles while in contact with boiled water.

Maroof Khel said: “The microplastic particles can probably enter the digestive system of humans and create digestion disorders. It can also add more harmful hormones and increase the danger of cancerous illnesses and cause harmonic disorders.”

It is better to avoid the use of tea packets, he preferred.

A specialist in internal diseases Dr. Mujtaba Soofi shared a video clip on his Facebook account and said: “The tea of packets is the best, but it has a problem which is the use of plastic in its packets that is why its paper is resistant to dissolution in water.”

“When you pour the tea in a glass, it changes its color into another color, you must avoid drinking such tea and pour it away,” Soofi advised.

aw/ma