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Garden enthusiasts are being advised to add teabags to their gardens this spring, but only after tearing them open. Composting is a highly beneficial practice for gardens throughout the
year, transforming kitchen waste like potato skins, carrot trimmings and banana peels into nutrient-rich compost. This can significantly enhance the growth of garden plants, leading to
larger, more robust fruits and vegetables, as well as healthier flowers. Starting a compost pile in your garden is straightforward and can be done using a simple plastic bin. More
sophisticated options are also available, including wooden composters and multi-opening 'hot bins'. However, if you're on a budget, an old bin with a lid and some airholes
will suffice. READ MORE: GARDENING EXPERT'S CLEVER TIP FOR MAKING THE MOST OF OLD COMPOST Gardeners who add teabags to their compost have been warned to tear open the bags first and
pour the raw tea leaves directly into the compost. This is due to the fact that many top brand teabags contain plastic. Numerous supermarket brands use plastic in their teabags, which means
they won't decompose in your compost, leaving behind plastic residue that could contaminate your compost with leached plastic chemicals. Even plant-based teabags, such as those used by
Yorkshire Tea, should be cut open, with the bag disposed of separately, not in the compost bin, reports the Express. Yorkshire Tea has clarified: "PLA tea bags are sometimes referred to
as 'plastic free', but we've never used that term and WRAP, the organisation behind the UK Plastics Pact, also advises against it because plant-based plastics are still
plastics. "You can cut open your used tea bags, compost the tea leaves at home, and dispose of the bag in your rubbish bin. If you don't want to do that, the alternative is to
throw your tea bag in your rubbish bin." Consumer advice publication Which? explains: "Tea bags have traditionally been sealed with a plastic called polyproplene, which allows
their edges to be heat sealed and prevents them from disintegrating in hot water. Although only small amounts were used, it stopped them from being compostable and, given the vast number of
tea bags used in the UK, it resulted in a significant amount of plastic waste. "The UK Tea and Infusions Association's advice is to tear open the bags before putting the used tea
leaves on your compost heap and dispose of the teabag paper separately in your bin where it will end up in landfill."