As the global plastic problem continues to grow, with packaging alone
accounting for 40% of the global total of plastic waste, Traditional Medicinals
recognizes the need to improve its packaging– more specifically, the plastic
wrappers that protect and preserve our high quality, medicinal teas. We have
made it a company priority to transition to compostable wrappers on select
teas, and to develop a sustainable packaging roadmap for the future.

While TM’s tea bags are fully compostable, the current wrappers found on TM’s tea bags that protect the quality and efficaciousness of the teas are not compostable. These new wrappers replace non-compostable wrappers and should be disposed of at an industrial composting facility.

BPI certification guarantees that a product has undergone rigorous testing and meets stringent standards for biodegradability, compostability, and eco-friendliness, ensuring that it truly breaks down and returns to the earth, leaving no harmful residues behind. Purchasing products with the BPI Certification Mark supports a cleaner environment and a commitment to a sustainable future. 

While an imperfect solution, industrial composting is the only viable option for breaking down compostable packaging, at scale. BPI-certified packaging, like our compostable tea wrappers, requires Industrial Aerated Composting to fully break down. This commercial-scale composting environment helps maintain the high temperature and oxygen flow requirements necessary to ensure full breakdown (in less than 12 weeks) into bio-based elements that can be added back to soil. At the simplest level, home composting, for those who have the space and time to maintain a backyard compost pile, produces a nutrient-rich soil as a result of the breakdown of organic waste feedstock such as food scraps, grass clippings, leaves, and tea bags. While home compostable feedstock can be sent to industrial compost facilities, industrially compostable feedstock should never be added to home compost piles. 

Given that our new compostable wrapper needs to provide a sealed layer to prevent oxygen and moisture from negatively impacting the efficacious value of the herbs, we had to choose an industrially compostable substrate for our tea bags. We hope in the future, with continued innovation and investment, there will be more resources and packaging options that will be home compostable as well.

We pack each tea bag into a tamper-evident, oxygen, and moisture barrier sealed wrapper, which is essential for preserving the stability of herbal ingredients. Exposure to air, light and humidity has a negative impact on the quality of cut, dried herbs. The sealed tea bag wrapper assures that the quality of the herbs remains intact until they reach the teacup, which is an important consideration when using teas for self-care. We source pharmacopeial quality herbs for many of our medicinal teas, and it is essential to protect their quality. The wrapper is not excessive packaging for a medicinal-grade herbal tea, but rather an absolute requirement for these teas to maintain their efficacy.

While only 15% of consumers have access to an industrial composting facility in the United States, this number is quickly growing. Traditional Medicinals believes industrial composting is a waste solution we should advocate for and support; and we are leading by example, but we need your help. To advocate for a zero waste solution in your area, visit Policy + Advocacy - Packaging Collaborative (packaginginnovationportal.com) for more information.

We are on a journey towards zero waste packaging and working to find solutions that are planet-friendly. Our new BPI-certified wrapper is made from certified industrial compostable materials. The metalized barrier is non-migratory and is comprised of a thin layer of food-grade aluminum and biobased layers, commonly found in food packaging that protect the quality and freshness of our herbs. The aluminum layer is covered by a biobased layer, which is the only material that directly touches the compostable, natural abaca fiber teabag. These materials are food-grade quality, BPI-certified, and fully compostable.

This packaging began to appear on shelves with select products in April 2023. The first products that transitioned to compostable wrappers include:
Raspberry Leaf
Dandelion Leaf + Root
Nettle Leaf
Licorice Root
Turmeric with Meadowsweet and Ginger
Hibiscus
Reishi Mushroom with Rooibos + Orange Peel
Lemon Ginger
Ginger Aid
Ginger

We will continue to transition additional products to this compostable wrapper over the next few years. We're committed to developing a sustainable packaging roadmap that sets the company up to research and invest in sustainable packaging solutions.

Please visit https://findacomposter.com/ to learn more and find a facility near you.