From Cup to Compost – How we’re Recycling Tea at Rainbow

Britain’s love affair with tea is legendary, with the beverage often regarded as the country’s unofficial national drink. Britons collectively consume a staggering 36 billion cups of tea annually.

However, this tea-drinking habit presents an environmental challenge. Many people are unaware that tea bags often contain plastic.

Teabags pose as an overlooked environmental threat. Many contain non-biodegradable polypropylene, with plastic sometimes constituting up to 25% of a teabag’s weight, excluding the tea.

An educated estimate of our tea use at our Central Office suggests around 990 teabags used per month, by composting we are diverting 50kg of waste to landfills a year.

Our Tea Composting Journey

At our Central Office, as part of our commitment to sustainability, we launched a tea composting program at the beginning of this year:

• We have banned tea bags that contain plastic.
• We installed Tea Composting bins at our kettle stations.

Amy Bramwell, Business Support Assistant and Catherine Stochaj, Credit Controller collect these bins weekly for their personal compost.

Amy shares her experience:

“What can I say about composting tea? The worms love it! I started composting initially about 2 years ago and it was a slow process to begin with. We started composting our tea bags at work because we get through a large volume of tea each day and, as sustainability leaders, we are always looking for new ways to reduce our impact on the environment. Tea composting is a great idea. My compost bin is finally starting to resemble compost and is thriving with worms. Great result all round. Just remember to check that the teabags you are using are compostable!”

This small initiative is a crucial component of our comprehensive sustainability strategy, aligning with our ambitious net-zero goals and our overarching mission to #RestoreThePlanet.

You can find out more about our sustainability journey in our recent update: Our Continued Journey to Restore the Planet.

The Benefits of Tea Composting

Tea composting offers an eco-friendly solution to this challenge while providing numerous benefits for your garden:

• Nutrient-rich organic material: Steeped tea bags and leaves are excellent sources of organic material for your compost bin. Tea leaves are naturally rich in nutrients such as potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen, which can help balance the carbon-rich materials in your compost heap.
• Improved moisture and decomposition: Adding steeped tea bags to your compost can help maintain optimal moisture levels and accelerate the decomposition process.
• Enhanced oxygen levels: Steeped tea leaves may boost oxygen levels in your compost, creating a more inviting environment for beneficial earthworms.
• Direct garden application: If you don’t have a compost pile, you can still use steeped tea to enrich your garden by spreading loose tea leaves near the base of your plants or burying tea bags in the soil.

Where Can I Find Biodegradable Teabags?

Finding biodegradable teabags is a lot easier than you may think! We have compiled a list of tea brands who offer plastic-free biodegradable teabags:

• PG Tips.
• Yorkshire tea.
• Aldi own brand.
• Asda own brand
• Co-op own brand
• Waitrose own brand
• Twinning’s
• Tetley
• Tesco own brand
• Morrison’s own brand
• Marks & Spencer own brand
• Lidl own brand

Tips for Successful Tea Composting

These tips can be used for your own garden or compost.

1. Preparation: After steeping your tea, remove the loose tea leaves or compostable tea bag from the pot or cup. If you have a kitchen compost bin or bucket for storing food waste, you can place the steeped tea there temporarily.
2. Cooling: Allow steeped tea bags or leaves to cool completely before composting.
3. Composting: Add the cooled, steeped tea leaves or compostable bags to your outdoor compost pile.
4. Consistency: For tea enthusiasts, composting with tea is an effortless and effective way to contribute to your compost bin and support the well-being of your plants. Every cup you enjoy provides more material for your compost pile.
5. Check for compostability: Ensure that your tea bags are actually compostable, check the list above if you’re unsure.
6. Balance your compost: Remember to maintain a good balance of “green” (nitrogen-rich) and “brown” (carbon-rich) materials in your compost pile. Tea leaves are considered a “green” material.
7. Monitor moisture: While tea can help maintain moisture in your compost, be careful not to over-saturate the pile. Aim for a consistency that feels like a wrung-out sponge.

---

By incorporating tea composting into your routine, you’re not only reducing waste but also creating nutrient-rich soil for your garden. It’s a simple yet effective step towards more sustainable living.