At work, I've been diligently working on the three Rs of reducing, reusing, and recycling. I've managed to eliminate all the Styrofoam cups, plates, and small bowls from the cafeteria. I've also gotten rid of the plastic utensils in favor of corn or sugar cane. I can't remember exactly, but I chose sugar cane over corn whenever possible. All I have left that is bad in the cafe is a big Styrofoam bowl. I cannot find a replacement for it yet. Everything else is recycleable or compostable.
Today, my tech tells me as we are digging through utenils that the cafe manager said, "Do not microwave the forks." No reason why. Now, we've been suspiscious of these utenisils. I mean, its organic material. How is it not melting in the hot coffee or hot soup? It is heat tempered somehow. But we've been given this challenge.
So we microwaved a spoon -- made of the same material as the forks we were told to not microwave. I'm the safety person. I have to test these things, right? Right!
It melted exactly where he'd touched it. Clearly further experimentation is called for though. I may need to know if the oils from his skin reacted with the spoon causing it to melt or if the spoon will melt without those oils.
Anyhow, time to eat my yogurt. Experiments will have to wait for another day.
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