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Plastic kettles are an environmental disaster..

Renewable energies, sustainability, recycling and everything in between
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Del.Monte
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Plastic kettles are an environmental disaster..

#1

Post by Del.Monte »

Plastic kettles are seriously contributing to micro plastic in our bodies and in the environment: https://inews.co.uk/topic/microplastic Horrifying stuff but I shouldn't be surprised as bottled water in plastic bottles can also be a source of plastic contamination. Surely it's not too much to expect that both kettles and plastic water containers should be inert i.e. not contaminating us or the environment?

The scale of this problem is absolutely massive and my kettle is heading for the recycling this week. I'm going back to using a stainless steel saucepan until I can source my self a stainless steel hob kettle. More about how to avoid contaminating kettles: http://www.chemfreecom.com/avoiding-a-toxic-kettle/

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Above, an expensive (£100+) Japanese Sori Yanagi Stainless Steel Kettle is available online and I suspect that no Irish retailer has heard of them let alone stocks them.
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CelticRambler
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Re: Plastic kettles are an environmental disaster..

#2

Post by CelticRambler »

Del.Monte wrote: Fri Nov 26, 2021 10:34 am... until I can source my self a stainless steel hob kettle.
:?: Is it really that hard to buy a steel kettle in Ireland? Just about every supermarket in France sells them (complete with whistle) as a bog-standard item. I have one for the camper, which gets constant use when I'm on the road.

At home, I reckon the layer of limescale I never clean off keeps most of the plastic out of circulation! :mrgreen:
490808
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Re: Plastic kettles are an environmental disaster..

#3

Post by 490808 »

Every decent hardware store has stainless steel kettles but they are pricey.
CelticRambler
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Re: Plastic kettles are an environmental disaster..

#4

Post by CelticRambler »

Del.Monte wrote: Fri Nov 26, 2021 10:34 am Above, an expensive (£100+) Japanese Sori Yanagi Stainless Steel Kettle is available online and I suspect that no Irish retailer has heard of them let alone stocks them.
If you're paying that much, you can shop local and buy one from Le Creuset ! 8-)

(I'm happy with my 12€ supermarket own-brand model)
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Del.Monte
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Re: Plastic kettles are an environmental disaster..

#5

Post by Del.Monte »

The Continental Op wrote: Fri Nov 26, 2021 12:14 pm Every decent hardware store has stainless steel kettles but they are pricey.
Perhaps, but there's more to it than just being made of stainless steel as one of the links points out. If the element is exposed all sorts of unpleasant metallic nasties contaminate the water.
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Re: Plastic kettles are an environmental disaster..

#6

Post by 490808 »

CelticRambler wrote: Fri Nov 26, 2021 12:53 pm If you're paying that much, you can shop local and buy one from Le Creuset ! 8-)

(I'm happy with my 12€ supermarket own-brand model)
You didn't read the memo, enameled (Le Creuset) are out of favour too, but they make crap kettles anyway.

Edit> Just noticed that Le Creuset do a stainless steel kettle just like their cheaply made enameled ones but I've never seen a SS one in Ireland.
Last edited by 490808 on Fri Nov 26, 2021 1:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Plastic kettles are an environmental disaster..

#7

Post by 490808 »

Del.Monte wrote: Fri Nov 26, 2021 1:01 pm Perhaps, but there's more to it than just being made of stainless steel as one of the links points out. If the element is exposed all sorts of unpleasant metallic nasties contaminate the water.
I was thinking of the stove top kettles, hmmm, like the one you posted a picture of.
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Re: Plastic kettles are an environmental disaster..

#8

Post by 490808 »

Out of stock but this is from the range I've seen in a lot of Irish hardware shops https://www.timlodge.ie/products/45lt-s ... 5263581289 about 60 euro.

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Re: Plastic kettles are an environmental disaster..

#9

Post by 490808 »

Assume you don't use tea bags which are of course sealed with a thermosetting plastic. If they aren't then I want to know how a tight mate of mine managed to seal then down the middle with the heat from a soldering iron and then cut them in two to make his own mini tea bags.
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Del.Monte
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Re: Plastic kettles are an environmental disaster..

#10

Post by Del.Monte »

I use organic Clipper teabags https://www.organico.ie/organic-everyda ... -bags.html because I'm too lazy (life's too short) for proper tea made with tea leaves but I intend to revert to proper tea sometime soon. I wonder if they are sealed with thermosetting plastic - never heard of it before.
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Re: Plastic kettles are an environmental disaster..

#11

Post by Hairy-Joe »

Geez is nothing safe. Even the humble cup of tea is under threat!

I'm just glad I hate Tea, Coffee and hot drinks!
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Re: Plastic kettles are an environmental disaster..

#12

Post by 490808 »

Del.Monte wrote: Fri Nov 26, 2021 2:23 pm I use organic Clipper teabags https://www.organico.ie/organic-everyda ... -bags.html because I'm too lazy (life's too short) for proper tea made with tea leaves but I intend to revert to proper tea sometime soon. I wonder if they are sealed with thermosetting plastic - never heard of it before.
How do you think they seal the bags? If they glue them what's in the glue?
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Del.Monte
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Re: Plastic kettles are an environmental disaster..

#13

Post by Del.Monte »

The Continental Op wrote: Fri Nov 26, 2021 2:52 pm How do you think they seal the bags? If they glue them what's in the glue?
Can't say I have ever thought about it but I will contact them today and report back.
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Del.Monte
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Re: Plastic kettles are an environmental disaster..

#14

Post by Del.Monte »

Del.Monte wrote: Fri Nov 26, 2021 3:25 pm Can't say I have ever thought about it but I will contact them today and report back.
Does this answer your question?

We all want less plastic in the environment but unfortunately a lot of tea bags contain a small amount of polypropylene plastic. This may surprise some of you but until recently it has been an essential ingredient to help the tea bag paper seal together.

But not anymore!

Clipper’s tea bags are sealed with non-GM bio-material made from plant cellulose, known as PLA.

They are completely free of polypropylene – the oil-based plastic that is so damaging to the environment. The material we use is entirely natural, industrially compostable and much more environmentally friendly.


https://www.clipper-teas.com/tea-talk/p ... -tea-bags/
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