Welcome to GUBU.ie - lurkers are obviously welcome but please consider joining in the discussion!! Register here to create an account and start posting.
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/
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.
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!
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 !
(I'm happy with my 12€ supermarket own-brand model)
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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.
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. 
