Sofia Martinez
Yorkshire Tea has been working towards making its packaging more environmentally friendly by making its tea bags from plant-based plastic called polylactic acid (PLA) instead of traditional plastic. Traditional plastics are made from fossil fuels, whereas plant-based plastics are made from renewable biological sources like corn starch. PLA tea bags are industrially compostable and can be disposed of in food waste or garden waste bins for the council to compost. However, some reports from 2020 suggest that Yorkshire Tea bags contain the plastic polypropylene, which may not degrade for hundreds of years.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Composition | 95% tea and 5% bag |
| Composition of the bag | 75% natural fibres like wood pulp, rayon (made from wood pulp) and abaca (a kind of banana plant) which make a kind of paper; 25% oil-based plastic sealing material called polypropylene |
| Replacement of oil-based plastic | Plant-based plastic called Polylactic Acid (PLA) |
| Disposal | Place in food waste or garden waste bins for the council to compost |
| Plastic-free | No, but the company is working towards it |
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What You'll Learn
Yorkshire Tea bags are made from PLA, a plant-based plastic
Yorkshire Tea is committed to making its packaging as recyclable, reusable, and compostable as possible to reduce its environmental impact. The company has been working to transition its tea bags to a more sustainable alternative.
Yorkshire Tea bags are now made from PLA (polylactic acid), a plant-based plastic. This switch started in 2018 with the Yorkshire Gold range, and the company has since expanded its use of PLA to more products. The tea bags inside every box of regular Yorkshire Tea, Yorkshire Gold, Yorkshire Tea Decaf, and Yorkshire Tea for Hard Water are now plant-based. The brand is also working on transitioning its speciality teas, exported products, and larger catering packs to PLA.
The tea bags are composed of 95% tea and 5% bag by weight. The bag is made from 75% natural fibres like wood pulp, rayon (a wood pulp derivative), and abaca (a type of banana plant), which form a paper-like material. The remaining 25% is the sealing material, which was previously polypropylene, an oil-based plastic. Now, the seal is made with PLA, a compostable, plant-based plastic derived from renewable biological sources like corn starch.
Used PLA tea bags can be disposed of in kerbside food waste and garden waste bins for industrial composting by local councils. However, they should not be placed in home compost heaps as they require higher temperatures and more space to break down effectively. Proper disposal is crucial to maximize the environmental benefits of PLA.
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The switch from oil-based plastic to PLA
Yorkshire Tea has been working to reduce the environmental impact of its products and packaging. The company has switched from oil-based plastic to Polylactic Acid (PLA), a plant-based plastic, for its tea bags. This switch is part of a broader shift towards renewable and compostable materials in the company's packaging.
The tea bags in all regular UK Yorkshire Tea boxes are now plant-based. The bags are primarily made from natural fibres like wood pulp, with the seal made from PLA. This PLA seal is industrially compostable and much better for the environment when disposed of properly. Consumers are advised to dispose of these tea bags in their kerbside garden or food waste bins for industrial composting.
However, it is important to note that PLA is not without its drawbacks. While it is biodegradable, PLA requires specific industrial composting facilities to break down effectively, which are currently in short supply. Additionally, there are ethical considerations regarding the use of viable food crops to produce single-use plastics when there are global issues of hunger and malnutrition. Furthermore, the farms that grow these crops for PLA production are associated with environmental concerns, including deforestation and reduced biodiversity.
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PLA is industrially compostable
Yorkshire Tea has switched to using plant-based tea bags, with about 75% of the tea bag made from natural fibres like wood pulp, rayon, and abaca. The remaining 25% is made from a plastic sealing material called polypropylene, which the company is working on replacing with a plant-based, industrially compostable bioplastic called Polylactic Acid (PLA).
PLA is a bioplastic that is industrially compostable. This means that it can be organically recycled alongside food waste, reducing methane emissions and preventing plastic contamination in the food waste stream. It fully biodegrades in industrial composting facilities under specific high-temperature conditions. However, it does not easily degrade in the environment and will not biodegrade in water.
The use of PLA in tea bags provides a synergy, transforming organic waste into valuable compost and keeping traditional plastics out of the soil. Consumers can dispose of PLA tea bags in food waste or garden waste bins for the council to compost, ensuring that it is properly disposed of and does not contribute to plastic pollution.
While PLA is a more sustainable alternative to conventional plastics, it is important to note that it is not a perfect solution. The production and disposal of PLA require industrial processes that may have their own environmental impacts. Additionally, the term "biodegradable plastic" can be misleading, as it may lead consumers to believe that PLA will naturally degrade in any environment, which is not the case.
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The environmental impact of Yorkshire Tea bags
Yorkshire Tea has been making efforts to reduce the environmental impact of its tea bags. The company has switched to plant-based tea bags, with 75% of the tea bag material made from natural fibres like wood pulp, rayon (derived from wood pulp), and abaca (a type of banana plant). The remaining 25% is an oil-based plastic called polypropylene, used as a sealing material.
Yorkshire Tea is replacing this plastic with a plant-based alternative known as Polylactic Acid (PLA), which is made from renewable biological sources such as corn starch. This switch is intended to improve the environmental impact of their tea bags, as PLA is industrially compostable and can be disposed of in food waste or garden waste bins for proper composting by local councils. However, it is important to note that these tea bags should not be placed in home compost heaps as they require specific conditions, including high temperatures and space, to break down effectively.
While the company has made progress in transitioning to plant-based tea bags for their regular products, they have encountered challenges with their speciality teas due to differences in bag shape, construction, and export considerations. As of 2025, their Speciality Teas still use polypropylene for heat sealing. Additionally, the inner and outer packaging of their tea boxes contains oil-based plastics like polyethylene and polypropylene, which they plan to address after completing the tea bag material switch.
Yorkshire Tea aims for all its packaging to become "circular," implying a commitment to using renewable, plant-based, or recycled materials, ensuring reusability, recyclability, or compostability. They have also made their tea boxes from cartonboard, a renewable resource as trees can be replenished, and these boxes can be recycled with paper and cardboard.
The company's efforts demonstrate a recognition of their environmental impact and a desire to make positive changes. However, there are still areas, such as the sealing of speciality tea bags and the plastic packaging of loose tea leaves, where improvements can be made to further reduce their environmental footprint.
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The challenges of switching to plant-based tea bags
Yorkshire Tea has been working to make its packaging as recyclable, reusable, and compostable as possible. The company has switched to plant-based tea bags, with the bags in all regular UK Yorkshire Tea boxes now made from natural fibres like wood pulp, and the seal made with PLA, a plant-based plastic that is industrially compostable.
However, this switch to plant-based tea bags has not been without its challenges. Here are some of the key difficulties faced by Yorkshire Tea and other tea companies:
- Technical challenges: One of the main challenges is ensuring that the plant-based materials are durable enough to withstand the sealing process and not fall apart. In 2018, Yorkshire Tea encountered an issue with their PLA tea bags, where the sealing on some bags failed, causing the bags to disintegrate in customers' mugs. This highlighted the technical difficulties in working with plant-based plastics, which require more precision and testing than traditional oil-based plastics.
- Speciality teas and export packs: Different tea blends and export packs pose unique challenges in switching to plant-based tea bags. Yorkshire Tea's speciality teas, such as Biscuit Brew, Toast & Jam Brew, and Bedtime Brew, have a different shape and construction from regular tea bags and are made on special machines that take longer to reconfigure for PLA paper. Additionally, there are considerations for export markets, such as ensuring that international packs remain GMO-free, which further complicates the transition.
- Supply chain constraints: Scaling up the production of plant-based tea bags to meet demand can be challenging. Tea bag manufacturers need to work closely with their suppliers to source plant-based materials and ensure a consistent supply. This can involve coordinating with multiple suppliers and managing lead times, especially when dealing with renewable resources that may have seasonal variations in availability.
- Consumer education: Proper disposal of compostable tea bags is crucial to maximising their environmental benefits. Consumers need to understand that compostable tea bags should go in food waste or garden waste bins for industrial composting. However, communicating these instructions effectively to consumers can be challenging, as incorrect disposal methods can negate the positive impact of the switch to plant-based materials.
- Cost implications: Developing and implementing plant-based alternatives can be more costly than traditional plastics. Companies need to make significant investments in research and development, as well as potentially incurring higher material and production costs. These costs can impact the pricing of the final product, and companies must carefully consider how these changes will be received by consumers, especially in a competitive market.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, but the company is transitioning to plant-based plastic. Traditional tea bags contain polypropylene, an oil-based plastic. The new tea bags will use polylactic acid (PLA), a plant-based plastic made from corn starch.
Plant-based plastics are made from renewable biological sources, unlike traditional plastics, which are made from fossil fuels. PLA tea bags are industrially compostable and can be disposed of in food waste or garden waste bins for the council to compost.
No. While the company has transitioned to plant-based plastic for its regular tea bags, its Speciality Teas are still heat-sealed with polypropylene plastic. The company is working on transitioning its Speciality Teas to PLA but has faced challenges due to the different shape and construction of these tea bags.
By weight, 95% of a Yorkshire Tea bag is tea, and 5% is the bag. About 75% of the bag is made from natural fibres like wood pulp, rayon, and abaca, while 25% is the oil-based plastic sealing material.
