Monday, August 06, 2007

The Hazardous Disposable Chopsticks

How the disposable chopsticks is made:
1. Bamboo trees are cut before they are sent for further process.



2. The bamboo is shredded by using machines into the chopstick shape.



3. Then, the bamboo is bleached by using sulfur and hydrogen peroxide to look whiter and cleaner.



4. Later, the chopsticks are laid under the hot sun for drying purpose.



5. The chopsticks are packed before importing to other countries.



6. It takes a few weeks before it reaches the destination, which is exposed to pests like cockroaches and rats in the ship. Upon arrival, the chopsticks are sent to a factory to be wrapped and packed before sending out to the restaurants and consumers.

If you break the chopstick, you can see a lot of monkey-face-look-alike thing inside the chopstick, these are caused by the leftover of the chemical.







Some facts:
1. It’ll give out an unpleasant smell if the chopstick is socked in water for one week.
2. If the chopstick is burnt, the smoke that comes out from the chopstick is acidic when tested.
3. Avoid using disposable chopstick that is too white if it’s compared to the original colour of the bamboo or wood. Chopstick that is too white may have been bleach excessively.
4. It is advisable to soak the chopsticks in hot water before use to release carbon dioxide.
5. It’s better not to use these chopsticks for bbq or leave it in the soup as it tends to release more carbon dioxide.
6. It is suggested to smell the chopstick before use. If any sour smell, possibly it contains carbon dioxide. Soak them in warm and hot water for 2 to 3 minutes to reduce the carbon dioxide.

According to some reliable sources, it was found that the disposable chopsticks are being recycled by reusing sulfur and hydrogen peroxide.

I found this article somewhere, and I don’t know how true it can be. Anyone call for the Myth Busters?

10 comments:

baggie said...

Eww... I didnt know that... and they sure do look like monkeys eh? (=_+)" LEt's start using stainless steel chopsticks then.. plastic ones are no good too.. :(

Jason Lioh said...

That's why I always use fork and spoon. :D

Anonymous said...

wooot I got this too! it's in a powerpoint slide rite?

herm i was thinking of buying those recycleable chopstick like the one from LeeHom latest album one. Know where can get ar?

hao said...

calvin's wife: Have to bring your own chopsticks lor next time.

jasonmumbles: Your fork and spoon they wash it inside a pail with cockroach and dead lizards one, and they nvr change the water for one week. HAHAHAHAHAHA

yung: Yeap, from powerpoint slide one. Dunno wor, you go buy LeeHom original album lar, only first 500000 album got rite?

Anonymous said...

lol
wei true or not one this post. next time go eat sushi mar need to bring our own stainless steel chopsticks like those korean use wan lor?

hao said...

yuinyin: I dunno how true is that, but better to be safe than sorry... hehe... Good idea, but for a lazy person who hate troubles like me, I don't think I'm going to bring my own pair of chopsticks wherever I go... hahahaha

guaisaujai said...

that's y korean or china ppl always bring their own chopsticks wan... I think we really should do that too...for own safety, no matter true or not~

hao said...

guaisaujai: But so far I never see any Malaysian brings their own chopsticks. Maybe there's minority practicing it but most of us just don't bother about it (errr... i'm one of them... hehehehe).

Anonymous said...

euw.. this makes me don't wanna use chopsticks anymore..

hao said...

kaklong: If you're worried, try use plastic one or bring your own, although it's a little bit troublesome... hahaha