Brits warned not to compost one common item to avoid garden disaster

If you’ve been into your , gardening experts are urging you to stop.

While teabags might seem like a harmless addition to your DIY compost, they could be doing more harm than good.

According to experts, synthetic materials and chemicals in many modern teabags can ruin your .

Steven Bell of Ethan Mason Paving explained that many commercially available teabags are made with synthetic materials like nylon or polypropylene.

These non-biodegradable elements don’t break down in compost and can leave harmful microplastics in your soil. 

“If you’re aiming for a natural, plastic-free environment in your garden, teabags can cause significant problems,” Bell warned.

Christopher O’Donoghue of Gardens Revived agreed, pointing out that even biodegradable teabags often take longer to break down in home composting systems, which don’t reach the high temperatures required for efficient decomposition.

He also noted that some teabags are treated with bleach or chemicals to maintain their shape during steeping. These substances could leach into compost, potentially harming the soil and the plants it supports.

However, not all teabags were off-limits. Some brands explicitly stated that their teabags were compostable or made from natural fibres, making them safe for compost bins. 

To ensure gardeners weren’t introducing harmful materials, Bell and O’Donoghue recommended checking the packaging or tearing open the bag to compost only the tea leaves.

Flavoured or coated teabags, which often contained synthetic materials, were also to be avoided.

In the end, composting was about creating a healthy, organic environment for the garden.

Experts reminded gardeners to be mindful of what went into their compost to avoid disrupting this balance.

By making informed choices, gardeners ensured they could continue to enjoy sustainable gardening without compromising their soil’s integrity.