Disposable chopsticks have a series of problems such as health and environmental protection.

On February 28, after this article published "Industrial hydrogen peroxide cooking, paraffin polishing and polishing, and disposable chopsticks are plagued with diseases", the relevant departments of Anji County, Zhejiang Province immediately closed the relevant enterprises, and the Shanghai Food and Drug Administration stated that it would organize special sampling inspections in the near future. Some experts have suggested that disposable chopsticks are a backward product, and the ban is a trend in the future. The comprehensive ban on the use of disposable chopsticks in restaurants is a safe and environmentally friendly measure that is worthy of research by relevant departments in Shanghai.

Youth Daily reporter Ye Songli

Wuyuan

Luanji Poisonous Chopsticks Factory Filed for Investigation

There are three major problems in the production process

Lu Feng, secretary of the Quality Supervision Bureau of Anji County, Huzhou City, Zhejiang Province, told this reporter that after the Japanese newspaper reported on February 28 that some companies in the county had used non-food-grade additives in the production of disposable bamboo chopsticks, Immediately organized a special rectification action for one-time bamboo chopsticks production enterprises, sealed up the relevant enterprises after investigation and evidence collection, and transferred them to relevant departments for investigation.

  produce:

Poor sanitary conditions

Difficult to completely rectify family workshops

The reporter learned from the Anji County Quality Supervision Bureau that during this rectification operation, it was found that the sanitary conditions of the manufacturing enterprises were indeed bad. In terms of the production environment, raw materials and finished products are disorderly stacked, the workshop is not used rationally in accordance with the production process, business owners and employees have a weak concept of safe production and lack of awareness of health and hygiene. Workers in the packaging workshop did not adopt hygiene such as wearing masks and gloves Measures, chaos in living and production areas are serious.

Lu Feng analyzed the specific reasons for the problem to the reporter. First, there are many disposable bamboo chopsticks production enterprises, most of which are family workshop enterprises. The factory facilities are simple, the production scale is small, and there is no corresponding factory building. The workplace is residential. The second is that most enterprises have a large circulation of production workers, which is about 4 to 6 people, and the education and quality awareness of business owners and employees are not high; the third is that the profit margin is thin, and the ex-factory price of a pair of conventional bamboo chopsticks is 2 cents Double, its profit is in units of milliseconds, so profits are completely dependent on output to ensure that the average daily output of enterprises can reach 300,000 pairs.

Although since 2012, the bureau has been ordering relevant enterprises to make rectifications according to requirements, and the entire production environment has improved significantly. However, during daily inspections, it was still found that some enterprises were difficult to sustain and complete the rectification due to the impact of conditions.

Quality:

Bamboo chopsticks are prone to mold

Illegal sulfur fumigation

From the data provided by relevant departments, the reporter found that in 2012 and 2013, Anji County conducted large-scale annual supervision and random inspection on disposable bamboo chopstick product manufacturers in the county. In 2012, a total of 125 enterprises produced 125 The batch of bamboo chopsticks was approved. In 2013, 104 batches of bamboo chopsticks produced by 104 companies were spot-checked. According to the requirements of the national standard "Disposable Chopsticks Part 2: Bamboo Chopsticks", physical and chemical indicators and microbiological indicators are tested. From the overall results of spot checks, the main problems of unqualified products are unqualified moisture content and unqualified mold.

According to the national standard, the moisture content of disposable bamboo chopsticks is 10%. In the 2012 spot check, not only 15 batches of samples did not meet the national standards, but also 79 batches of samples had a moisture content of about 10%, which was critical. , Accounting for 63.2% of the total number of supervision and spot checks. The moisture content is more than 10%, which is prone to mildew. In the supervision and random inspection, the quality supervision department found that there were 1 batch of mold and 2 batches of mold, which did not meet the requirements of national standards. (See table for specific criteria)

The main reasons for the failure are: The chemical composition of Moso bamboo contains a lot of nutrients, so disposable bamboo chopsticks are produced in rainy weather, or the environmental humidity is high, and it is easy to breed microorganisms and mold. Also, during the production process, Problems with sanitary conditions have caused pollution.

It is precisely because of mold-prone that the production enterprises use sulfur fumigation and industrial hydrogen peroxide immersion to ensure product quality. The reporter noticed that in the two sampling inspections in Anji County, there were no reports on the detection of illegal additives such as sulfur and industrial hydrogen peroxide. Relevant sources told reporters that the basis for testing by the quality supervision department is the items specified in the national standard. There is no standard for items outside the national standard, so they are not tested.

Rectification:

Use of contraband

Relevant departments have no testing standards

Lu Feng said that they will take three measures next. One is to urge enterprises to improve the production environment and improve related processes, especially the warehouse for raw materials and finished products, production and packaging workshops, and increase equipment to control the moisture content of bamboo chopsticks. The second is to keep a record of the use of food-grade hydrogen peroxide, talcum powder, paraffin, and other additives. A number of companies have set up a laboratory in the same township to increase water content and mold factory inspection. Third, according to the relevant technical specifications, rectify disposable bamboo chopsticks production enterprises, shut down non-compliant enterprises, speed up the transformation and upgrade of disposable bamboo chopsticks production enterprises, and require manufacturers to package chopsticks to remind consumers to use them. Wash and disinfect before.

According to Lu Feng, some problems in some manufacturers in Anji County are also related to the randomness of raw material procurement and the inability to identify the raw materials of bamboo chopsticks treated with industrial hydrogen peroxide. Disposable bamboo chopsticks are general light industrial products. Manufacturers use non-food grade raw and auxiliary materials, but the country has no corresponding punishment basis and testing standards. To solve these hidden dangers, it is recommended that the relevant higher authorities formulate standards for the detection and identification of industrial hydrogen peroxide bamboo silk, and formulate relevant administrative regulations and rules.

Circulation

Shanghai will carry out special sampling inspection

Responsibilities:

Can't control the table but can't control the factory

The relevant person in charge of the Shanghai Municipal Quality Supervision Bureau told this reporter that the Quality Supervision Bureau only supervises the production process of products. However, there is currently no one-time chopsticks manufacturing company in Shanghai, so they cannot supervise the source of production. Processing enterprises, however, the results of their random inspections were qualified.

Relevant persons in charge of the Shanghai Food and Drug Administration also stated that according to the relevant provisions of the Food Safety Law, disposable chopsticks are food-related products. If they find that there is a safety problem in the procurement and use of the catering unit, they will supervise the catering unit immediately Use and destroy. A catering business owner told reporters that in related inspections of restaurants, disposable chopsticks are not a routine spot check item. Unless someone reports an accident due to disposable chopsticks, the relevant department will conduct an inspection.

standard:

Less sampling and no detected prohibited ingredients

In a written interview with this newspaper, Shanghai Food and Drug Administration stated that in their daily supervision and inspection, the main contents include: whether the catering unit's procurement channels are legal, whether to verify the supplier's qualifications, whether to obtain purchase vouchers and establish a ledger, and the products purchased Whether the packaging and marking meet the requirements.

The Bureau included food-related products in its annual special sampling inspection plan. In 2012, it arranged a one-time meal box sampling inspection. In 2013, it arranged a special sampling inspection of dishwashing detergents and food packaging paper. Relevant personnel of the bureau said that they would conduct special inspections and special spot checks of disposable chopsticks in the near future based on the clues reflected in this newspaper.

However, the reporter found from the response letter of the relevant department that since 2012, the relevant product quality supervision department has carried out random inspections on disposable chopsticks. In the face of the huge market usage in Shanghai, only two batches were tested. Sulfur dioxide leaching amount, coliform bacteria, Salmonella, Shigella, Staphylococcus aureus, hemolytic streptococcus, mold, and other items, the test results show that all indicators are qualified, the pass rate is 100%.

Relevant person in charge of Anji County Quality Supervision Bureau said that items such as thiabenzimidazole, o-phenyl phenol, biphenyl, and imazalil, which have prescribed limits in the standard, have not been detected in previous supervision and random inspections because they have the functions of sterilization, antisepsis, and insect repellent are replaced by hydrogen peroxide or sulfur. The auxiliary materials in the above test items were not used by the manufacturer at all, and there was no problem of exceeding the standard. Supervisory authorities check according to the requirements of the standard, and it is reasonable to have a sampling pass rate of 100%, which does not mean that disposable chopsticks are safe and qualified.

consumption

Fast food is the hardest-hit area, the lower the consumption, the more common

On the morning of March 7th, when the reporter went to a fast-food box lunch company in Jungong Road for an interview, he met a food delivery master who was going to deliver a "barrel of rice" to a nearby construction site. They packed their meals in insulated buckets of various sizes, then stuffed out a plastic bag of disposable bamboo chopsticks from the kitchen and left in the car. "We don't need to use disposable chopsticks?" A female staff member said, "Do we also require migrant workers on the construction site to bring their own guys to eat?"

In another boxed lunch company on Jungong Road, boss Li told reporters that if they are serving the society, they must use chopsticks once, but they mainly do school and send nutritional lunches to students instead of disposable chopsticks. "Teachers talk about environmental protection to students every day and ask students to bring their own chopsticks and spoons. Besides, we do n’t know if disposable chopsticks are safe and healthy.

The reporter learned from the data released by relevant departments that by December 2013, there were 132,000 social box lunches and 25,500 barrel meals in Shanghai that could be heated or refrigerated every day. There were 147 social box lunch and barrel meal production companies. The production capacity ranges from 1,000 to 15,000; 5 social lunch companies can be sold through the circulation field, with a daily supply of 840,000; 141 companies specializing in the production of barrel rice, with a daily supply of 384,500.

The reporter initiated a questionnaire survey to the class members through the survey network. The 173 questionnaires returned showed that more than 90% of the respondents used disposable chopsticks, and 46% of the respondents had disposable canteens in the unit.

The theory of relativity 1

Operator vs Consumer

Protect operators or consumers?

Counterparty ban will increase operating costs

The owner of a fast-food restaurant in Xinzha Road told reporters that their daily use of disposable chopsticks is about 700 pairs, and the cost of expenditure does not exceed 30 yuan. If these chopsticks are disabled, at least one employee will be added. The owner of another fast-food restaurant said that if they do not use disposable chopsticks, they have to add at least a large-capacity disinfection cabinet, which not only increases costs but also has no place to put.

The boss said that their takeaway business is also inseparable from disposable chopsticks. "For a takeaway, we can afford a pair of 3 cents chopsticks. But if it is disabled, we have to set a pair of 1 yuan chopsticks and put the money in the meal. Will the takeaway price increase?"

The owner of the family's raw fried shop said that there are very few customers who eat tang. Even if they are paired with a good pair of chopsticks, they will lose it after eating. Isn't it a waste? "

Using disposable chopsticks will do more harm than good

At a restaurant in Jufengyuan Road, a third-year student from Shanghai University, Zhao Xiang, told reporters, "Our school is full of disposable chopsticks everywhere in the morning and at night during business hours. Disposable bins are also full." When it comes to convenience, it is convenient for catering operators. When it comes to cheap, it also reduces the cost of catering operators. If it is banned, it will have no impact on consumers.

On March 14th, Feng Heng, chairman of the Sichuan University Green Seeds Environmental Protection Association who came to Shanghai to participate in environmental protection public welfare activities, issued a proposal to college students' environmental protection organizations after seeing this report, calling on everyone to resist disposable chopsticks. Teacher Fu Chen of Fudan University said that according to the report of this newspaper, the school will discuss the hygiene of disposable chopsticks in a recent food safety lecture.

Relativity 2

Industrial institutions VS related scholars

Does it protect the local industry or the ecological environment?

Relates to local socio-economic

The relevant person in charge of the Quality Supervision Bureau of Luanji County said that Anji County is a large county in the bamboo industry and the history of bamboo chopsticks production is long. It has started in 2000. Beginning in 2004, one-off bamboo chopsticks manufacturing enterprises bloomed all over the place, with a maximum of more than 150 companies, which has formed a certain scale.

Qiongzhu industry has become the county's characteristic pillar industry, solving many labor employment and raising the income of ordinary people. Lu Feng said that if the county compulsorily shuts down the one-time bamboo chopsticks industry, it will have a great impact on the lives of a large number of people engaged in this industry, and it will affect the healthy development of the upstream and downstream of the bamboo industry. County social stability has a major impact.

Wu Lufeng said that the county has been committed to the deep development of bamboo and strived to increase its economic added value. However, the county's bamboo products are relatively single, and they have not developed more bamboo raw materials for other uses. This is one of the county's current research efforts in the bamboo industry.

Xi Zhengfang Industry production should be eliminated as soon as possible

Professor Yang Xin, head of the Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Fudan University, told our reporter that he saw some Chinese restaurants in the United States basically use disposable plastic chopsticks, as well as disposable chopsticks made of bamboo, but relatively few.

Professor Yang Yang said that now everyone agrees that using wood for disposable chopsticks will directly reduce the forest coverage rate in China, and we will accept it if we do not produce or use disposable wooden chopsticks. But bamboo belongs to the herb, strong regeneration ability, fast growth and little impact on forest coverage. Disposable bamboo chopsticks have now become the mainstream of this industry. Professor Yang believes that the current disadvantages of disposable bamboo chopsticks are mainly reflected in the three aspects of resource consumption, environmental pollution and poor quality of bamboo chopsticks.

Director of the Department of Environmental Hygiene, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Professor Bo Haidong also believes that the disposable bamboo chopsticks have a simple production process and low technical content, and are mostly produced in small workshops. Some companies use non-food-grade auxiliary materials. From a perspective, it should also be banned. As for the impact on the local industry, it can be resolved by reinvestment.

Professor Wu Haidong believes that relevant management departments should increase the monitoring frequency, promptly publish monitoring results through authoritative channels, and provide consumers with health and safety tips. Both professors believe that manufacturers of disposable tableware should be eliminated as soon as possible, at least their production and operation behavior is not worth encouraging.

The theory of relativity 3

Department of Management VS People's Congress

Amend the national standard or prohibit it by legislation?

Anti-party national standard 9 years unmodified adverse supervision

The quality inspection department of Luanji County believes that the current supervision of disposable chopsticks is difficult and there are factors that lag behind the standard, so it cannot be banned.

Before the county's rectification of disposable bamboo chopsticks manufacturers in 2012, many enterprises used industrial-grade hydrogen peroxide, talc, paraffin, and other additives due to cost reasons. After the rectification, the county's production enterprises use food-grade hydrogen peroxide or sulfur for bleaching and sterilization and use food-grade talc or paraffin for polishing. (Some local enterprises may also use sodium metabisulfite and chlorine for bleaching during the production process. ). The national standard "Disposable Chopsticks Part 2: Bamboo Chopsticks" only specifies the limit of the amount of sulfur dioxide leaching, does not specify the limits and detection methods of additives such as hydrogen peroxide, talc, paraffin and related items, and the method of detecting the amount of sulfur dioxide leaching Distinguish between food grade and industrial grade sulfur. In addition, the national standard does not specify the packaging and labeling of disposable bamboo chopsticks, and non-food-grade plastics may be used for packaging.

The relevant person in charge of the bureau said that the current national standard for disposable chopsticks was formulated in 2005 and has a history of 9 years. Some indicators are no longer suitable for the current industrial development, including the possible safety impacts of hydrogen peroxide, sulfur, paraffin, and talcum powder. The original standards did not require testing; some of the microbial project indicators in the standard and sample preparation during microbial testing There is a certain contradiction in the referenced testing methods, and there is no random inspection of alternative auxiliary materials used by manufacturers. Therefore, the Bureau of Quality Supervision recommended that experts be organized to discuss current standards for disposable bamboo chopsticks in a timely manner, conduct a risk assessment of the use of some additives, and recommend relevant departments to revise the standards.

Calling is a good thing

Since disposable chopsticks have lagging standards, difficult supervision, unknown responsibilities, and strong consumer opinions, Professor Zheng Shaohua, dean of the Law School of Shanghai University of Finance and Economics and representative of the Yangpu District People's Congress, said that Shanghai should suspend disposable chopsticks in the form of local regulations. This not only saves administrative costs but also protects environmental resources and protects the health of citizens.

Professor Zheng Zheng said that, as far as the current written law is concerned, there is no specific law applicable to disposable chopsticks. At present, supervision is implemented in accordance with local regulations in China. These local administrative measures are not universally binding. Even after a security incident, the court will not invoke these local regulations when trying related cases. Professor Zheng urged that no matter from which point of view, the management of disposable chopsticks should be made available as soon as possible.

The reporter learned that, on December 1, 2011, Shaanxi Province introduced the first domestic regulations on the health hazards and environmental protection issues of disposable chopsticks. According to the "Regulations on Promotion of Circular Economy in Shaanxi Province", the catering industry is prohibited from providing to customers For disposable chopsticks, the food and drug supervision and administration department shall order correction within a time limit for those who violate the regulations. If they do not make corrections within the time limit, they will be fined 500 to 2,000 yuan for catering enterprises and 50 to 200 yuan for individual catering operators. fine. Professor Zheng said that this local law in Shaanxi has a statutory regulatory unit, has clear penalties, is serious and systematic, and is worthy of reference by relevant departments in Shanghai. You can first draft an "administrative measure" or "temporary measure" and submit The Shanghai Municipal People's Congress passed to guide work.

It is understood that, as early as October 2000 at the "Green Marketing and Business Development" seminar held by the Shanghai Commercial Committee, the main commercial streets, and hotels in Shanghai will gradually eliminate the use of disposable chopsticks. Professor Zheng said that it is true that disposable chopsticks are rarely seen in the above-mentioned places. It can be seen that the relevant departments can still manage the results if they carefully manage them.

Professor Zheng said that disposable chopsticks originated in Japan, but less than 3% of the total domestic production in Japan and imports from China accounted for 99% of the country ’s total imports. Disposable chopsticks are actually a backward product, and The concepts of environmental resources and sustainable development have deviated, so the prohibition of circulation is a trend.

GB19790.2-2005 "Disposable chopsticks Part 2: Bamboo chopsticks" related standards

  Sensory requirements

Disposable bamboo chopsticks should be clean and smooth, and no burrs are allowed within 6CM of the contact end with food. No pollution, no odor, no insects, no mildew, no decay, no cracks.

Microbial indicators

Project indicators

Coliform bacteria / (MPN / 50c) Not detectable

Pathogenic bacteria can not be detected

Paecilomyces fungus / (cfu / g) 50

Physical and chemical indicators

Project indicators

Moisture content / (%) 10

Panthiabenzimidazole / (mg / kg) 10

Phenylbenzylbenzene / (mg / kg) 10

Coupling stupid / （mg / kg） 10

Ibuprofen / (mg / kg) 10

Sulfur dioxide leaching amount (SO2) / (mg / kg) 600

Other indicators

The auxiliary materials used in the processing of disposable bamboo chopsticks should be food additives allowed by national standards.

By Best Chopsticks

The bacteria in the disposable chopsticks washed by boiling water still exceeded the standard 21 times

435 student brothers showcase 307 innovative achievements

How can vegetables be processed to reduce the loss of vitamin C? How do the disposable chopsticks on the market exceed the bacteria standard, and can it be effectively reduced by rinsing with tea or warm water? The 29th Guangdong Youth Science and Technology Innovation Competition was held in Guangzhou No. 6 Middle School from March 29th to 30th. 435 students from cities across the province presented 307 innovative achievements at the venue. The reporter found that many of them are closely related to daily life.

Why is the boiling water not sterilized thoroughly?

◆ 1. Although the boiling water temperature is high, the processing time is too short to be well sterilized

◆ 2. The temperature of tea and warm water is too low, it is difficult to kill microorganisms on chopsticks

Three students, Liu Jiale, Gong Wenyuan, and Liu Xiangyi from Wenyuan Middle School in Zhuhai, studied the use of disposable chopsticks and the microbial content of wooden and bamboo disposable chopsticks. "We hope to reveal the true face of disposable chopsticks and keep more people away from disposable chopsticks." Gong Wenyuan said.

For the use of disposable chopsticks, the research team issued a total of 165 questionnaires and recovered 160. When investigating the reasons for choosing disposable chopsticks, it was found that 15.63% of people chose "for convenience", 78.13% chose "last resort", and only 6.25% chose disposable chopsticks because of "sanitation". It can be seen that most people are "forced" to use disposable chopsticks, which coincides with the fact that many restaurants only provide disposable chopsticks. After being informed of the dangers of disposable chopsticks, 91.88% of the surveyed people said they would "not use them as much as possible", but 8.13% would continue to use them because of their convenience.

"The survey results show that it is feasible to uncover the hygiene status of disposable chopsticks and guide the public away from disposable chopsticks accordingly." The research team believes.

The study carried out microbiological detection on disposable chopsticks made of different materials. The study found that, whether it is wooden or bamboo disposable chopsticks, the bacteria and mold content are seriously exceeded (the national health standard stipulates that the total number of bacteria per milligram sample is less than 200 and the mold per milligram sample is less than 50). Calculated by a pair of chopsticks at about 10 grams, the disposable bacteria content of wooden disposable chopsticks exceeds the standard by nearly 24 times and the mold content exceeds 32 times. The disposable bacteria content of bamboo disposable chopsticks exceeds the standard by nearly 52 times and the mold content exceeds the standard by 32 times. The research team also found that larvae were grown in the culture medium, so it can be inferred that disposable chopsticks also contain worm eggs. If the human body intakes them, the incidence of parasitic diseases is greatly increased.

The experiment also found that the bacteria content of chopsticks decreased after boiling water treatment but still maintained a high level. After conversion, the number of bacteria per pair of chopsticks after boiling water treatment is 3.6 × 107, which is 18 times the national health standard content. The bacterial content of chopsticks treated with tea and warm water is 21 times and 26 times the hygienic standard, respectively.

"It can be seen that the disposable chopsticks rinsed before meals in daily life have a certain effect on reducing the bacterial content, but the effect is not ideal. Main reasons: 1. Although the boiling water temperature is high, the processing time is too short to play a Good sterilization effect; 2. The temperature of tea and warm water is too low, it is difficult to kill the microorganisms on the chopsticks. "The experimental team members explained.

How to reduce vitamin C loss in vegetables?

Experimental results Wash → Hand tear → Instant cooking (fried)

Jiang Zezhou, Ye Zilin, and Zhu Huatao from the Children's Palace of Yuexiu District of Guangzhou, three fourth-grade students, studied the effects of different processing methods on the loss of vitamin C in vegetables. They concluded that tearing by hand and cooking immediately after washing can improve the preservation of vitamin C. Their group is called "Zhu Jiang Ye You".

The "Zhu Jiang Ye You" group first selected spinach and Chinese cabbage as research objects. They bought these two vegetables from a nearby vegetable market, and then did 9 steps of processing: including selecting vegetables, washing vegetables, weighing samples, cooking vegetables, grinding samples, preparing centrifugation, centrifuging (extracting Vitamin C), Take the supernatant and titrate (measure the vitamin C content in 1 ml of the supernatant).

After experiments, it was found that the results of spinach and cabbage were roughly the same. Compared with spinach and Chinese cabbage when not cooked, the vitamin C content of all spinach and Chinese cabbage after treatment decreased. This shows that various pre-cooking processes and re-cooking processes will cause loss of vitamin C. "It can be seen from the experiments that in order to preserve as much vitamin C as possible after cooking spinach and cabbage, the best way to prepare spinach and cabbage before cooking is: wash → tear by hand → cook immediately (fried)." They introduced.

By Best Chopsticks

Do not use 4 kinds of disposable chopsticks: white color, acidity, long spots

"The restaurant put on disposable chopsticks, and the packaging was exquisite. There were a few sips in hot water, and the pungent smell came out immediately." "The use of disposable chopsticks is not environmental protection but life-saving!" Actor Huang Bo posted this Weibo and immediately caused heated discussions on the Internet. In less than a day, the Weibo was reposted more than 100,000 times. Judging from Weibo, he soaked disposable chopsticks in hot water. Not only did he smell a pungent odor, but the water also turned yellow, and a layer of oil-like substance appeared on the water. This once again pushed the disposable chopsticks to the cusp.

In response, a reporter from "LifeTimes" interviewed Dong Jinshi, secretary-general of the International Food Packaging Association. He said that disposable chopsticks are common in restaurants, takeaways, and roadside stalls, and the companies that produce these chopsticks are generally small and do not need a pre-approval production license, which has led to market chaos and the safety of chopsticks. Protection.

Generally, qualified disposable chopsticks produced by regular manufacturers are mostly made of wood or Moso bamboo. They contain lignin. When dissolved in water, the water may turn light yellow. There may also be some suspended matter in the water, which looks cloudy. The situation is generally not harmful to the human body. According to state regulations, bamboo disposable chopsticks are allowed to be fumigated and bleached with food-grade sulfur, but the sulfur dioxide residue per kilogram of chopsticks should not exceed 600 mg, while wooden chopsticks are not allowed to be smoked with sulfur. "Like the situation in the Weibo picture, the water is dark yellow with a pungent odor, indicating that the residue on the chopsticks is likely to be excessive."

Dong Jinshi said. Such chopsticks can irritate the respiratory tract, cause a cough, and sometimes even erode the esophagus or stomach. Dong Jinshi reminded consumers that it is best to bring their own tableware when dining out, and use less disposable tableware. If you must use it, pay more attention to it. It is best not to use it in the following four situations.

Chopsticks turn white or turn yellow when heated. In order to make the chopsticks look cleaner, many manufacturers will use sulfur or hydrogen peroxide to treat the chopsticks. If the color of the chopsticks is too white, it is likely to be overtreated and relatively unsafe; fumigation of bleached chopsticks with sulfur will bleach the effect when heated. Disappear and return to yellow, and the remaining chemicals on it may cause harm to the human body.

It smells sour. Safe and qualified disposable chopsticks have the woody or bamboo fragrance of the raw material itself. If you smell a pungent sour taste after opening the package, it may be the smell of sulfur.

There are spots on the surface. Chopsticks contain a certain amount of water, which is prone to moisture and deterioration over time. If there are dark green or black spots on the disposable chopsticks, it is a sign of moldy deterioration. With such chopsticks, many diseases may be induced, and there is even a risk of carcinogenesis over time.

Too thin or two completely separated. Some unscrupulous manufacturers will recycle the used disposable chopsticks, and simply remove the outer layer of dirt after cleaning and sell them again. If disposable chopsticks are shorter and thinner than normal or easily broken, or the two are not connected, be careful, they are likely to be "reprocessed."

In addition, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection, and Quarantine of the People ’s Republic of China stipulated in 2006 that the smallest packaging unit of disposable tableware should be clearly marked with the words “sterilized disposable tableware has a shelf life of up to 4 months”.

By Best Chopsticks

How to use disposable chopsticks correctly?

Disposable chopsticks are not only related to environmental protection issues, but also related to human health, but there are many precautions I hope everyone can master.

Smell the smell. If the chopsticks are smoked with sulfur, it will have a slightly sour taste, so it is best not to use.

When the chopsticks are damp, they may bend and deform. Chopsticks may bend and deform after being wet, and even non-bamboo or wood-like spots, such as small black spots, may indicate mold and deterioration. Do not continue to use it.

Look at the packaging. See if there is the manufacturer's name, trademark, and contact information on the outer packaging of the chopsticks. It is best to have the production date and shelf life.

Choose yellow-green for disposable bamboo chopsticks. Disposable bamboo chopsticks should be yellow-green, too dark and too yellow are not normal. Good disposable wooden chopsticks also have a touch of yellow, and the over-white may be soaked and bleached with industrial hydrogen peroxide or smoked with sulfur dioxide.

By Best Chopsticks

"Reduce the use of disposable chopsticks" is still just a slogan

"We use several hundred pairs of disposable chopsticks every day, and now more and more customers are taking away and ordering takeaway. These must be given to disposable chopsticks. Therefore, we have replaced them with disposable chopsticks, which is convenient. Save trouble. "The owner of the Pan Braised Meat Shop outside Master Pan, Tianyi Lvhai District, Jizhou District, Tianjin City, told reporters.

The boss said, "Some of these disposable chopsticks are delivered to your door. When the disposable chopsticks are used up, someone will send them immediately. Of course, we can also buy them at the market."

The use of disposable chopsticks in this store is inconsistent with the voice of the society and even the opinions of government departments.

In recent years, the call for reducing the use of disposable chopsticks has continued. In 2010, the Ministry of Commerce, the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Environmental Protection, the State Administration of Taxation, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, the State Forestry Administration, and the State Food and Drug Administration jointly issued the "On One-Use Reduction in the Catering and Hotel Industry. The Notice on Chopsticks Work "clearly requires the catering and restaurant industry to reduce the use of disposable chopsticks.

In this context, is the use of disposable chopsticks the same as that of the braised meat shop? What caused the "reduced use of disposable chopsticks" initiative to be difficult to implement? The reporter launched an investigation.

Heavy use of roadside shops

Tianyi Luhai Residential District, Jizhou District, Tianjin is not small, and there are a dozen roadside restaurants nearby. According to rough statistics, the reporter found that there are 4 restaurants that use about 5 bags of disposable chopsticks per day, and each bag has 50 pairs of disposable chopsticks.

The owners of several other restaurants told reporters that they use 1 to 2 disposable chopsticks per week, and how much depends on the number of passengers. During a survey in a bun shop, the reporter asked the owner about how many pairs of chopsticks there were. The owner took out a plastic woven bag about 50 cm in length and about 20 cm in diameter from below the counter. 18 bags, "said the owner." The price depends on the quality of the chopsticks. A good piece costs more than 60 yuan and a cheaper 40 yuan. "

During the investigation, the reporter found that most restaurants did not place disposable chopsticks directly on the dining table, but placed them on the cashier counter. There were also restaurants that did not place disposable chopsticks. They would only show them when customers came to ask for disposable chopsticks.

However, in some barbecue shops on both sides of West Street, Yanshan Street, Jizhou District, as soon as the customers took their seats, the waiter brought up tableware and disposable tableware in plastic bags. When asked about the number of disposable chopsticks used, the owner of a barbecue restaurant said: "Although it is a barbecue restaurant, there are some dishes that require chopsticks, such as fried snails, so there is no specific statistics. Generally, a large bag a day More than 500 pairs. "

In addition, the reporter also found that this barbecue restaurant does not have chopsticks that can be reused. When the reporter asked if there were any household chopsticks, the boss said: "Generally there is no preparation, they are disposable, which is more hygienic and convenient."

Different consumer attitudes

The reporter observed that there are dozens of barbecue restaurants on both sides of the Yanshan West Street. Basically, disposable chopsticks are used. Each barbecue restaurant has a lot of passenger traffic. It is basically full from evening to 12 o'clock in the evening.

In a shop called "Barbecue BBQ", the reporter asked a couple who was dining about their attitude towards disposable chopsticks. Both said they generally use reusable chopsticks in sterilizers, but barbecue shops generally don't provide them. "Disposable chopsticks are short and uncomfortable to use, or are used to household chopsticks."

In this barbecue restaurant, there are still many customers who choose to take away. When the order is ready, these customers take away a few pairs of disposable chopsticks from the counter, and some of them take away one. When the reporter quickly caught up with a customer and asked why, a customer named Li said: "There are a lot of poor quality disposable chopsticks, and some of them can only be used. Take a few more to ensure a pair It ’s good. In addition, a few extra pairs of preparations can also prevent you from forgetting to bring disposable chopsticks next time. "

"As long as the restaurant has sterilized chopsticks, I will not use disposable chopsticks. Some disposable chopsticks are of poor quality, and they will stick in your hands when you remove the bag, and you will have mouths when eating. It is very uncomfortable to use such chopsticks. Once I was in a restaurant Four or five pairs of disposable chopsticks are broken, "said Ms. Wu, who ate at the restaurant.

Ms. Wu told reporters that sometimes restaurants did not prepare chopsticks for disinfection at all. She was packing or ordering takeaway, and then used her own chopsticks at home.

Talking about the reason, Ms. Wu said, "The most important thing is that I think that disposable chopsticks use chemicals when making them. Don't look at it, it looks quite white. I am worried that some restaurants may recycle old chopsticks for re-production and packaging. It ’s very simple and I ca n’t see it again. I saw the news that the disposable chopsticks were soaked in boiling water, the water turned yellow in a while, and the pungent taste made me worry. I did n’t know about disposable chopsticks. How does it work? So, I basically do n’t use disposable chopsticks when eating out, but my classmates use it every time. She feels that the chopsticks in the restaurant and cafeteria are not cleaned. This is indeed the case. Even when the chopstick tube is in use and it is not cleaned for a long time, I do not want to use it. Some restaurants do not have a disinfection machine. It is unhygienic to put the chopsticks directly in a plastic box. "

Hidden dangers in quality and safety

Due to the huge market demand, especially the booming development of the takeaway industry in recent years, various types of disposable tableware manufacturers with different characteristics have been spawned, and chaotic phenomena such as crude manufacturing and regional monopolies are frequent.

During the visit, most merchants stated that they did not know where the disposable chopsticks they purchased were produced. They could only know the approximate address from the outer packaging, and they were usually delivered by special merchants. Some shop owners said that they would occasionally take a look at the appearance of chopsticks, and most said they would receive goods directly without paying attention to information such as the date of production of chopsticks.

There are also some merchants who wholesale disposable chopsticks to the wholesale market but rarely choose good quality.

The reporter learned from a staff member of the Quality and Technical Supervision Bureau of Jizhou District, Tianjin that the shelf life of sterilized disposable chopsticks is up to 4 months, but many merchants do not understand this.

The staff member also told reporters that consumers need to be more careful when using disposable chopsticks. Pay attention to whether there is the manufacturer's name, trademark and contact information on the outer packaging. Those disposable chopsticks that only indicate "high-temperature disinfection" Is not credible. In use, consumers are best to take it and smell it first. If there is a sour odor, it may contain sulfur dioxide, it is best not to use it. If conditions permit, consumers can soak disposable chopsticks in warm water for a few seconds before meals. If time is sufficient, they can soak for 2 to 3 minutes to reduce the residual sulfur dioxide in disposable chopsticks. In addition, do not immerse disposable chopsticks in hot soup or hot porridge for a long time during meals, as this will accelerate the decomposition of sulfur dioxide.

By Best Chopsticks

Do you still believe that disposable chopsticks are destroying the forest? It's just the opposite!

For a long time, such a statement has been deeply rooted in people's hearts: To protect the forest, the Japanese disposable chopsticks are never made by themselves, they are all imported into China! Do you still believe that? It is no exaggeration to say that it is very ignorant to say that disposable chopsticks are harmful to the environment!

In fact, the wood used for disposable chopsticks is not the forest we want, but bamboo and fast-growing forest, which are all cash crops, just like rice and wheat. In other words, the wood used to make these disposable chopsticks is artificially "transformed"! It can be seen that the use of disposable chopsticks will not only "destroy the forest", but will also increase the scale of economic trees such as fast-growing poplars.

Strictly speaking, bamboo is grass but not a tree. It is a renewable, important, and green plant. The raw material of bamboo chopsticks is Moso bamboo, which grows quickly and can grow one meter in one night. From bamboo shoots to harvest, two to three years are enough. And now it's all machined, and the utilization of bamboo is extremely high. If it is reasonably developed, is it that the bamboo resources in Jiangsu and Zhejiang can be used by chopsticks around the world to squander disposable chopsticks?

As for the fast-growing forest, it's special cropland for nothing. It is not a towering tree as we imagined, nor will it form a forest ecology. It was planted for logging. It should be noted that primary forests and secondary forests belong to natural forests, and fast-growing forests belong to the category of artificial forests. Planted forests are not necessarily planted for economic benefits, and there is no shortage of applications for artificial restoration of forests, but even the latter are not necessarily effective, and green deserts may appear.

These cash crops will provide huge economic benefits to the local area, and promoting economic development is a social benefit. The biggest killer in the forest is not a small dish such as disposable wooden chopsticks. The paper industry can really rank high. Coupled with the Chinese people's pursuit of solid wood furniture, the destruction of Southeast Asian forests is getting worse and worse, basically, one by one, maybe we are Japan in the story.

By Best Chopsticks

Disposable chopsticks actually have a shelf life! Three tricks to teach you to stay away from dirty chopsticks.

Every time I go to the restaurant

Bring your own chopsticks in a greasy restaurant

And unopened disposable chopsticks

Many people choose to use disposable chopsticks

Innocent appearance

I feel relieved when I look at it

But in fact

Often use disposable chopsticks

Some damage to human health

And do you guys know

Chopsticks also have a shelf life

Look at

1. The shelf life of disposable chopsticks

According to the relevant standards, disposable chopsticks must be marked with a valid date of production and shelf life during the production process to avoid overdue storage and mildew.

But now many chopsticks on the market come from informal small workshops, and the materials used are poor. And in order to look clean, a lot of chemicals are used to soak. In doing so, it is easy to cause the excess to exceed the standard and cause harm to the human body.

In addition, some chopsticks have not undergone strict sterilization and can easily produce a large amount of E. coli, causing symptoms of diarrhea.

2.Several ways to reduce harm


Do not use disposable chopsticks

The best way is, of course, to choose not to use it. If possible, try to choose your own chopsticks to avoid injury.

Using disinfected chopsticks

The chopsticks in the restaurant are generally disinfected in a disinfection cabinet. If the restaurant conditions are safe, you can choose the disinfected chopsticks.

Wash before use

If you must use it, you can rinse the surface of the chopsticks with boiling water, which can reduce the residue on the surface of the chopsticks to a certain extent. (Except moldy chopsticks)

3. Three tricks to teach you how to identify disposable chopsticks

Although there are many shortcomings of disposable chopsticks, they are inevitably used in life, so I will teach you a simple way to identify chopsticks: one smell, two views, three folds.

1. Smell the chopsticks first, don't use it if there is sour taste;

2. Check whether there is a production date on the outer packaging, whether there are abnormal black spots on the chopstick body, or whether the appearance is excessively bright. If so, do not use it;

3. try to fold, do not have the flexibility to break. After breaking, white and red inside appear, and the smell is not sharp;

Chopped chopsticks with slender fibers and elasticity, smooth surface and slight bamboo fragrance can be used safely after breaking.

By Best Chopsticks

Disposable chopsticks may be moldy and smelly. Do you know that they should have a shelf life?

In fast-paced modern life, disposable chopsticks that are thrown away after use have become the "standard" for many people. Perhaps few people have ever thought that two wood or bamboo strips that are not astonishing in appearance have cobbled together into a market with huge consumer demand. Recently, a reporter from Jingbao visited the sales and use of disposable chopsticks in Shenzhen, and unexpectedly found that in Shenzhen, disposable chopsticks seem to be a “blind zone” for management that is rarely talked about——

From where

"Is there a shelf life for disposable chopsticks?"

At Shenzhen University subway station Exit C, there are often five or six mobile vendors in the morning.

Early in the morning on weekdays, many office workers passing the subway station will snatch a breakfast from here. Taken away with breakfast, there are also disposable chopsticks packed in bags-in this area without fixed dining seats, providing disposable tableware has become the operating habit of every mobile street vendor.

These disposable chopsticks are mostly made of wood, wrapped in a thin layer of plastic paper, and can be quickly removed with a single tear. Jing Bao reporter saw that the chopsticks had no other information on the wrapping paper except for the brand name of the chopsticks.

"The amount is very large, and a large bag is needed in a few days." Aunt Wang, who sells fried rice noodles, said that they usually buy disposable chopsticks from the market, with a bag of several hundred pairs. They don't pay much attention to the shelf life of disposable chopsticks, because they can't be put on for a long time and they run out quickly.

In addition to mobile street vendors, many restaurants also provide consumers with disposable chopsticks. Recently, Jingbao reporter came to Nanshan District, walked into a small restaurant named "× crispy chicken" and saw some disposable chopsticks wrapped in red transparent plastic bags on the table. In these chopsticks, some plastic packaging has cracked, exposing bamboo chopsticks with gray spots. Those spots are more or less dark or light. At this moment, the lady is sitting at the dining table to arrange disposable tableware.

"Is there a shelf life for disposable chopsticks? You do n’t say, I do n’t know." As soon as the words fell, the shopkeeper immediately pulled out a pack of disposable chopsticks from a bag in the corner to check. mark. She said frankly that she didn't know the shelf life of disposable chopsticks. Usually, the disposable chopsticks that I bought usually open the packaging to see, "Like those moldy, I just pick them out and throw them away."

Jing Bao reporter found that many people ignore the production date and shelf life of disposable chopsticks. Among the more than 10 merchants that the restaurant visited, two-thirds did not know the quality of disposable chopsticks. Even the seller of disposable chopsticks cannot tell consumers clearly the production date and shelf life of chopsticks.

Missing production date and shelf life on the outer packaging

During the visit, Jingbao reporter learned that there are two main sources of disposable chopsticks in restaurants, one is the owner's own purchase of the restaurant; the other is the main store distribution of the chain. Self-purchasing of disposable chopsticks, including self-purchasing, contacting wholesalers to deliver to your door, and purchasing online.

For different wholesalers, the packaging and sales models of disposable chopsticks are different. In the Kee Kee Grain and Oil Disposable Tableware Wholesale Store located in Zhongwu Market, Baoan District, it is full of various groceries, boxes stacked high, and bags interdependent. Among them, about 10 bags of disposable chopsticks were stacked in it, and the "Fuyuan Healthy Bamboo Chopsticks" mark was clearly visible on the packaging bag. Jingbao reporter learned from the packaging specifications of these disposable chopsticks that there are 20 bags in a small bag, 45 bags in a large bag, and 60 pairs of disposable chopsticks in each bag. The owner of the wholesale line said that they did not indicate the production date and the expiration date. "As long as it does not return, it will be fine for a few months."

Disposable chopsticks sold by Longxing Tape Co., also located in the Zhongya market, are packed in boxes, one box of 30 bags, and one pack of 60 pairs. The person in charge of the store said that they would buy 100 boxes of disposable chopsticks each time, and they would be sold out within a month. According to the store, the disposable chopsticks sell for 3 yuan a pack and the wholesale price is 2.5 yuan a pack. The shop highly recommends this kind of chopsticks because the price is good.

However, the Jiarongsheng store in Nanmao Nanmao Market in Nanshan District is another scene. A reporter from Jingbao visited and found that some disposable chopsticks sold here are marked with the manufacturer, production date and shelf life on the packaging. Some disposable chopsticks are dated on the outer packaging bag.

In addition, Jingbao reporter also contacted several stores selling disposable chopsticks on Taobao.com. However, Jingbao reporters found that the sellers could not clearly say the production date of the disposable chopsticks. "Same day" and "recently" was the sellers' general response to the production date, but they could not produce the relevant certificates. As for the shelf life, the sellers do not have a unified answer. "Three months", "six months", "four years" and other replies emerge in an endless stream, and many sellers think that it is "see personal storage".

"Is it moldy" becomes the standard for acceptance of disposable chopsticks

Why do most disposable chopsticks lack a production date and a shelf life?

With questions, Jingbao reporter consulted a chopsticks manufacturer Fuzhou Mingzhu Houseware bamboo chopsticks factory in Fuzhou. Mr. Wen, a staff member of the company, said that bamboo is a natural material and contains moisture, which makes it difficult to set a shelf life for it to prevent mold. "Some customers will have a special warehouse, which is relatively clean and not wet, and may be stored for a long time; some customers store chopsticks directly in the store, a dozen or twenty pieces are stacked, and there is an air conditioner blowing for a long time "It must be prone to mold." Mr. Wen said that the main reason for disposable chopsticks being mold is the storage environment. "So, if I print a 5-month shelf life, customers can mold after 3 months of storage. What should I do? ? "

"Mold or not" is the main standard for many businesses to accept disposable chopsticks. "These disposable chopsticks are not marked with the date of production. We mainly check to see if there is mold. If we open the package and see mold, we will not ask for it," said the owner of Leweixin Noodle Restaurant in Nanshan District. Small dry pot restaurants also located in Nanshan District generally require disposable chopsticks when packing for take-out. Because the amount is not large, the boss usually purchases disposable chopsticks in the market when purchasing ingredients. Regarding the production quality of chopsticks, the boss admits that it is not clear, as long as no mold marks appear on the surface of chopsticks, they will continue to be used by customers. Some chain store officials said that chopsticks are delivered by regular manufacturers. Although sometimes the package does not indicate the date, they know that disposable chopsticks have a shelf life.

Disposable chopsticks have national standards

"When the chopsticks were almost used up, we directly contacted the specialized manufacturers for distribution through the computer system, and they were delivered soon." Said the principal of a convenience store chain that provided food and beverage. Jingbao reporter saw in this convenience store that each pair of disposable chopsticks is wrapped in transparent plastic paper. The front of the packaging paper is printed with the convenience store logo and the date of production of the disposable chopsticks, and the manufacturer of the chopsticks is printed on the back. , Production address, production license number, a two-year warranty and the words that this product complies with national standards.

It is understood that according to the National Standards for Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine and the China National Standardization Administration on June 28, 2005, a series of disposable chopsticks national standards "Disposable Chopsticks Part 1: Wooden Chopsticks" and "Disposable Chopsticks 2" Part: "Bamboo chopsticks", there are clear standards for bamboo and wooden disposable chopsticks: "Each box of products should have the manufacturer's name, address, date of manufacture, shelf life, and other signs." According to AQSIQ 2006 According to the "Implementation Rules for Food Packaging Containers and Tools", the minimum product packaging unit for disposable products should indicate the shelf life of the product. The shelf life of sterilized disposable chopsticks is a maximum of 4 months.

Jingbao reporter learned from the Shenzhen Municipal Market and Quality Supervision and Administration Commission that Shenzhen ’s main regulatory basis for the production and sales of disposable chopsticks is the “Product Quality Law of the People ’s Republic of China”, “Shenzhen Special Economic Zone Quality Regulations” and “Food of the People ’s Republic of China” Security Act. Among them, the "Product Quality Law of the People's Republic of China" stipulates that the product or its packaging must have a product quality inspection certificate; the product name, manufacturer's name and address of the product marked in Chinese; the product used within the time limit, marked with the production date and safe use Expiry date or expiration date. If the product label does not comply with the provisions of this law, it shall be ordered to correct it; if the product label with packaging does not meet the labeling requirements such as the use of the product within a limited period, if the circumstances are serious, it may be ordered to stop production and sales and may be punished with 15 to 100% of the illegal income A fine of 20 percent.

The relevant staff of the Shenzhen Municipal Market and Quality Supervision and Administration Commission stated that "24 batches of disposable chopsticks were spot-checked in 2016, and 27 batches of disposable chopsticks were spot-checked in 2017, and sampling is being conducted in 2018."

Spot checks on disposable chopsticks did not stop, but the fish that missed the net still roamed outside. Perhaps it is because few people have thought that two wooden or bamboo strips that are not astonishing in appearance have put together a market with huge consumer demand.

By Best Chopsticks

Disposable chopsticks are mostly thrown away as garbage. CPPCC members: Fine recycling is a big problem

"In the past few years, when centralized sterilization of tableware was not vigorously promoted, almost all restaurants are using disposable chopsticks. In recent years, there have been fewer, but they still exist."-Li Yi, member of the Shenzhen CPPCC

Contradiction: This is a problem worth paying attention to, but how to solve it is difficult

"This is an issue worth paying attention to, but how to solve this is difficult." CPPCC member Li Yi cited his own experience as an example. His company's canteen is an open canteen, and it is difficult to control the flow of people. If you go late and the utensils are not enough, people have to replace disposable utensils with disposable chopsticks. He found that it was impossible to dispose of the disposable chopsticks that had been used separately because they often discarded the disposable chopsticks with the kitchen waste.

In addition to Li Yi's company canteen, Jingbao reporters also found that a large number of disposable chopsticks were randomly discarded in a foam box containing kitchen waste. In the convenience store, the used disposable chopsticks are also thrown into the trash can and disposed of with other trash.

Suggestion: Government could try to impose environmental taxes on disposable tableware

Not classifying disposable chopsticks for garbage is a common phenomenon in Shenzhen. Jingbao reporter learned from Shenzhen Municipal Administration of Urban Affairs that according to the “Shenzhen Municipal Solid Waste Classification and Reduction Management Measures”, Shenzhen Municipal Solid Waste is divided into three categories: recyclables, hazardous wastes, and other garbage. The main targets of recyclables are It is waste paper, waste plastic, scrap metal, etc. The disposable chopsticks that are currently used are disposed of as other waste.

The “Notice on Deepening the Work of Reducing the Use of Disposable Chopsticks in the Catering and Restaurant Industry” issued in 2010 once required that the commerce and development and reform departments should establish a mechanism for recycling disposable chopsticks and set up recycling points in urban consumer concentrated areas. Reuse resources. But over the years, the recycling of disposable chopsticks in the country has stalled.

"In China, the annual output of disposable chopsticks is more than 1 million standard boxes, of which wooden disposable chopsticks are close to 50%. Almost all of these chopsticks have not been recycled." In 2010, Qian Xiaoyu, vice president of China Forest Products Industry Association, accepted the media. According to the interview, Japan has established a good recycling mechanism, and the recycling rate of disposable chopsticks has reached 97%. In Japan, used disposable chopsticks have become a very good raw material for production. The disposable chopsticks used by each customer will not be thrown away but will be collected by the store and sold to the paper mill.

Many people have thought about recycling disposable chopsticks, and Li Yi is one of them. But he found that it was not easy to recycle and reuse disposable chopsticks in Shenzhen. "The recycling of disposable chopsticks is similar to the recycling of milk boxes. This matter requires a scientific calculation of the overall social cost to see if it is cost-effective." Li Yi said that Japan can achieve the recycling of disposable chopsticks, mainly The reason is that Japan's garbage classification is highly refined. However, Shenzhen is still in a relatively extensive stage of garbage classification. At this time, it is not realistic to require urban management departments to recycle disposable chopsticks.

“It ’s not that I do n’t want to worry about it, but it ’s not yet possible. This is a staged problem. Maybe in another 20 years, when our garbage classification management has reached a very fine level, it may be possible to achieve disposable chopsticks. It ’s recycled. ”In Li Yi ’s view, disposable chopsticks are a waste of the entire process, and it is a big issue worthy of attention. Since it cannot be processed from the end at present, coupled with the large demand for disposable chopsticks, management at the source cannot be lax.

Li Yi suggested that the government could try to impose environmental taxes on disposable tableware, and also introduce related regulations to punish illegal production and use of disposable chopsticks, and control the consumption of disposable chopsticks from the source through laws and economic levers. "No one will use it when there is no profit in the end."

Sinking: An environmental war lasting more than 10 years

Looking across the country, the struggle against disposable chopsticks has been going on. More than 10 years have passed, and this environmental protection war on disposable chopsticks is still continuing. Although the battlefield has moved from offline to online, it is still difficult to determine the outcome.

For more than 10 years, this environmental war has continued

According to the Nanfang Daily report in 2011, on December 1, 2007, the Ministry of Commerce for the first time stated in the "Code for the Operation of Catering Enterprises" that "the catering industry should reduce the use of disposable chopsticks, paper cups, and other tableware."

In August 2008, the General Office of the State Council issued a notice advocating not to use disposable items such as disposable chopsticks.

In June 2010, the Ministry of Commerce, in conjunction with the Development and Reform Commission and other departments, issued the “Notice on Further Development of Reducing the Use of Disposable Chopsticks in the Catering and Restaurant Industry”, requiring that the supervision of the production, circulation, and recycling of disposable chopsticks be strengthened, and the use of once reduced Sexual chopsticks are recommended not to use disposable chopsticks. The "Notice" also requires that catering enterprises with fixed business locations should proactively provide clean, hygienic, safe and reliable recyclable chopsticks. Encourage small and medium-sized catering enterprises that use more disposable chopsticks, and set up cleaning, disinfection and storage facilities for reusable chopsticks as soon as possible. It is necessary to provide non-fixed operating places for disposable chopsticks and take-out and food delivery enterprises. It is necessary to use disposable bamboo chopsticks as much as possible, strictly control the hygiene quality of chopsticks, and effectively recycle them.

In terms of taxation, China also has a heavier tax rate on disposable chopsticks. For example, in 2004, China canceled the one-time wooden chopsticks export tax refund (13%) and imposed a 17% value-added tax; on April 1, 2006, a one-time consumption tax on 5% was added to the disposable chopsticks; on November 1, 2006, a 10% export duty was levied. . According to relevant sources, disposable chopsticks have become one of the most heavily taxed agricultural and forestry products in China.

In order to save resources, following relevant national government initiatives to reduce the use of disposable chopsticks in the catering industry for many times, in 2011, the domestic regulations on the use of disposable chopsticks for the catering industry were first banned in China. Shaanxi Province has promulgated the “Shaanxi Provincial Circular Economy Promotion Regulations”. Regarding disposable chopsticks, the regulations propose to encourage hotels to reduce the provision of disposable supplies and ban the provision of disposable chopsticks in the catering industry. Operators in violation of the regulations will be ordered to make corrections within a time limit by the local food and drug regulatory department. Failure to make corrections within the time limit will result in fines ranging from 500 yuan to 2,000 yuan for catering enterprises; fines ranging from 50 yuan to 200 yuan for individual catering operators.

In addition, some social activists have also advocated not to use disposable chopsticks from the perspective of the harm caused to human health by disposable chopsticks. Well-known actor Huang Bo is one of them. In March 2013, Huang Bo drew a photo of one-time chopsticks washed and dyed with yellow water on Weibo, and urged everyone to reject or use disposable chopsticks, "more environmentally friendly, long life." This Weibo was reposted nearly 130,000 times.

Takeaway industry begins to pay attention to environmental protection

In the "China's Online Takeaway Market Monitoring Report for the First Half of 2018", Ai Media Consulting analysts believe that disposable tableware consumed by takeaways will cause great damage to the ecological environment. At the same time, safety problems in the takeaway industry will frequently occur. In the future, takeaway platforms are pursuing the economy. At the same time, we should pay attention to ecological and environmental protection and actively assume social responsibilities.

In response to the call for environmental protection, in recent years, some takeaway platforms have begun to pay attention to the use of disposable tableware. For example, in September 2017, the "Hungry" takeaway platform added a "no tableware" remarks option on the order confirmation page, and The user of item remarks provides points rewards to guide users and merchants to consciously reduce the use of disposable tableware. In addition, takeaway platforms such as "Meituan" and "Public Comment" have also added tableware options on the order page.

Recently, Jingbao reporters tried out two "Meituan" and "Hungry?" Two takeaway software, and found that on the "Meituan" submission order page, you can select the number of cutlery from "Remarks", including "No tableware required" Or 1 to 10 people, and more than 10 people; On the "Hungry" order submission page, you can also see the last option of "cutlery servings". Click "No cutlery required" and 1 to 6 Choice of servings.

"I have tried to choose not to use tableware a few times, but most of the time the delivery will still have tableware." Mr. Citizen Long said that he had consulted a takeaway delivery clerk about tableware, and the other party said that the tableware was prepared by the merchant. Yes, they are only responsible for delivery.

By Best Chopsticks

What kind of chopsticks is the healthiest?

Chopsticks often play an important role in our lives. They are essential tableware for our daily meals. Facing the dazzling array of chopsticks on the market, blue, red, carved, painted, blue and white porcelain, cartoon, and shaped, are they all dazzled? What kind of chopsticks are the healthiest, most suitable, and most qualified to accompany us for three meals a day? Today, I will introduce a few chopsticks to everyone, I hope that while enjoying the food, you can also eat healthily and rest assured!

1.Rainbow alloy PPS chopsticks

The chopstick body is straight and upright, with high rigidity and toughness, tight clamping, no bending, frosted non-slip treatment of the chopstick tail, no slipping, allowing you to easily grip food, not easy to fall, easy to clean, difficult to breed bacteria, and healthy. There are 8 colors to choose from, and there is always a style that belongs to you. Give your family a rainbow-like mood and make it a beautiful scenery on your table!

2. Chicken wings wooden five-color flower chopsticks

It is selected from South American chicken wing wood, its pattern is beautiful and evenly distributed, the pore texture is small, the hand feels fine, and the hardness is moderate. The craftsman made the 72 procedures such as hand-knife, water grinding, polishing, engraving, and inlay, which are fully ergonomic and can be described as a refined art. The decorative head of the chicken-wing wooden chopsticks adopts the new and patented technology, which has high flatness, strong stability, and strong durability. Five pairs of five colors, easy to distinguish, dedicated, clean and sanitary.

3.Printed bamboo chopsticks

The carbonized bamboo material is light in weight, not easily deformed, biodegradable, and greener and more environmentally friendly. Chopstick heads and chopsticks are sealed with environmentally friendly paint to prevent mold and mildew from hiding. Chopstick heads are non-slip, finely polished, round and smooth, and can not afford burrs. One set is 5 pairs, with a length of 22.5cm. There are many printing styles, and gifts are very good for personal use. Each set has a red gift box, and the wedding gift is quite good!

4.Handmade ebony chopsticks

The precious black and ebony wood is used as the material. The hard and woody texture is varied. Finally, it is polished and polished. The square chopstick tail allows the chopsticks to be smoothly placed on the table. It can easily pierce food and provide good taste. No paint or wax, green and healthy, it is the first-class natural product for families in modern society to pursue the concept of nature and environmental protection.

5.Korean stainless steel square chopsticks

Made of 304 stainless steel, corrosion resistance, oxidation resistance, thick texture, comfortable hand feel, durable, sanitary and healthy. The chopstick head adopts a coil-free design, which is smooth and beautiful, and it is not easy to hide dirt and dirt, easy to clean and prevent hygienic dead ends. Simple and smooth design, full of texture, 23cm length, make it more comfortable to hold and more convenient to pick up dishes!

6.Nan bamboo chopsticks

These bamboo chopsticks are made of high-quality bamboo material from the Wuyi Mountains and refined through more than 20 procedures. The texture of natural raw materials is clearly visible, close to nature, healthy and pure. The grip is a well-designed, rounded, square-shaped grip bar that is hand-polished. Pure natural, no paint, no additives, ideal for your healthy life!

7.  Black handle stainless steel chopsticks

304 stainless steel integrated molding technology, sturdy and durable, wear-resistant and drop-resistant, generous black handle, electroplated black gold, brushed texture, comfortable grip, no paint fading. The chopstick body has a hollow design, which is not only lightweight, but also more effective in preventing heat and iron, and it is more pleasing to use. Use it to eat every day, then your three meals a day become an art enjoyment!

8. Wheat straw individual mold-proof and environmentally friendly long chopsticks

Wheat straw chopsticks are made of wheat fiber and rice hull fiber biomaterials, non-toxic and odorless, and contain no harmful components to the human body. Natural selection of materials, one-piece molding, easy to hold, round and smooth, threaded chopstick head, easy to grip food; Japanese and Korean colors, it is pleasing to the eye! There will also be a slight scent of wheat when used for the first time. Use it in the office or at home and enjoy a relaxed and happy life!

9. Household ceramic chopsticks

The ceramic chopsticks have a very good appearance and texture, and the simple flower surface is also suitable for various tableware. It is also a bit heavy in the hand and has a very good texture. Ceramic material, fine porcelain, high-temperature resistance, does not fade, has the characteristics of not easy to adsorb, easy to clean. Pay attention to anti-fall, a pair can be used for a lifetime!

10.Cute cartoon chopsticks

Using high-quality natural bamboo wood as raw materials, high strength, good toughness, not easy to deform, environmentally friendly rust coating, beautiful and sanitary, regular texture, preserved bamboo chopsticks, original quaint. Simple style, fresh design, a cute pattern is added, simple chopsticks become vivid and interesting due to cute, let people love it!

Begonia Food is a food-loving housewife born in the 80s. Sister Begonia loves food, loves life, and loves the family ’s food life. She shares food life experiences, food travel Travels, and food product strategies. I hope to bring a healthy food life experience to everyone.

By Best Chopsticks