A widely known study in 2019 by McGill University revealed that “…a single plastic teabag at brewing temperature (95 °C) releases approximately 11.6 billion microplastics and 3.1 billion nanoplastic particles into a single cup of the beverage.” Anything at scalding temperatures evidently breaks down plastic, and yet it’s almost laughable (in the anxious kind of way) to relearn that we’re drowning in plastic and sometimes don’t even know it. This research shook the world of tea and continues to be a major topic of discussion in the food industry – how much plastic are we unknowingly consuming and how does this affect us? Today, we’re exploring plastic’s broader impact on tea, our food, and the world.