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[00:00.40] Are you a tea drinker? If so, you’re not alone.

[00:06.24] Every day around the world millions of cups of this popular brew are drunk, and it’s been that way for thousands of years.

[00:15.54] The oldest discovered tea is from the Han Dynasty, dating from 206BC to 220AD.

[00:24.30] But it’s thought that the tea trend really took off during the Tang Dynasty in the 8th Century, when it became China’s national drink.

[00:34.66] Now, Turkey, the Republic of Ireland and the UK are believed to be the biggest tea-drinking nations, per capita.

[00:44.23] Tea is consumed in many ways – slurped, sipped or glugged.

[00:50.86] It can be poured from pots, infused or brewed in the cup using tea bags – and it’s this latter process that is causing concern.

[01:02.02] Research last year found some premium tea bags might be leaving billions of microscopic plastic particles in the cup.

[01:11.58] Scientists from McGill University in Montreal found that some ‘plastic’ tea bags shed high levels of microplastics into water.

[01:21.67] However, The World Health Organization says such particles in drinking water do not appear to pose a risk.

[01:30.44] Most tea bags are made from paper, with a small amount of plastic used to seal them shut – made from oil.

[01:39.21] This has led to debate about whether they can be recycled, but many are still composted.

[01:46.38] However, gardener Mike Armitage has told the BBC that the plastic contained in the soil could be washed into streams and rivers and ultimately out to sea.

[01:59.39] Unilever, the owners of the tea brand PG Tips, said their tea bags are made with a small amount of plastic – used to seal them – and that they are suitable for composting.

[02:11.88] And the brand Yorkshire Tea said their bags do contain 25% polypropylene, but they were “actively developing plant-based and biodegradable alternatives”.

[02:24.63] While tea bag manufacturers might be doing their bit to reduce plastic pollution, it could be a good time to switch your favourite beverage to coffee, or if that isn’t your cup of tea then try using loose-leaf tea, which can have a better flavour.