So Lipton is now claiming on their tea boxes "no plastic film around the box" and "the teabags are plant-based, made from paper and cornstarch". Clearly trying to imply that the product is plastic-free, but not quite *saying* it.
So you might think, why is there cornstarch in the bags?
Well, from cornstarch you can make... PLA! A type of plastic. And indeed, the other side of the box talks about composting the bags, but specifically mentions "industrial compost" - because that's the only type of composting that can process PLA.
(Previously: the PLA-in-teabags stuff, them seemingly having removed ceylon from the Yellow Label tea, the supposedly 'forest fruit' tea actually being red fruit and the forest fruit apparently not being available anymore, the earl grey being bitter garbage, the orange tea no longer tasting like it used to...)
I spent like, a couple of euros buying these various teas from them while they were on discount, and I don't think I've ever gotten this much disappointment-per-euro before, which I guess is an achievement?
@joepie91 On the bright side, when Lipton is done destroying the planet the average weather will look a lot more like an industrial composting environment
@joepie91 I am a bit confused though, temperature of boiling water should be enough to melt a PLA teabag down, releasing its content.
@rune @joepie91 I did the same thing to shape 3D printed "face implants" for a borg costume (just pressing the hot plastic on my face, yes, I am willing to suffer for that :P) and it held fine.
But I was a bit more sceptical about integrity of a thin bag. But if it has something else supporting it, then it's fine.
@shine The melting point is 150-160C for PLA, it would probably weaken at boiling temps but I don't think that's an issue as I think its only purpose is to keep the paper fibers together
@joepie91 oh right, sorry, I didn't mean melt, but certainly deform enough to fail. But yep, if it's combined with fiber, than it's likely "fine"
@joepie91 Isn't that the stuff they have to keep at 60°C for like 10 days in order to recycle it?
@Heidentweet I don't know the exact numbers, but it does need a temperature for some time that home composting doesn't reach, yeah.
@Heidentweet @amro It is at least better than petroleum-based plastics but that's about all the positive things I can say about it
@joepie91 I wonder if we can somehow blame the PLA
@joepie91 HOW ABSOLUTE DARE
@joepie91
Plastic and also crappy, that's awesome!
Right up there with when I learned the "Celestial" in "Celestial Seasonings" tea refers to their extraterrestrial cult and isn't a cute play on their sleepytime tea or something.
@silvermoon82 @joepie91 what the--- there's a cult? uhhhh
@silvermoon82 @joepie91 .....oh sweet sisters of mercy what
@joepie91 Surprisingly, mentioning "industrial compost" is better than most other companies using PLA. Most just say "compostable/biodegradable plastic".
@Vampire Ah yeah that's what they say on the *front* of the box, if I'm not mistaken
@joepie91 Uuuuuuuugh...
I hate that so much
Lipton has not run out of ways to disappoint me, yet