no more styrofoam boxes...
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SAF switches to paper meal boxes, food kept warm for up to 4 hours
SINGAPORE : It may sound a little ironic, but Singapore Armed Forces' soldiers are getting even greener than before.
They are going to stop using styrofoam food containers and switch to eco-friendly paper ones.
A piping hot meal is one of the few pleasures that can boost the morale of soldiers out in the field.
To make sure cookhouse meals get to the troops before they turn cold, the Army has switched to a new locally-designed paper meal box which can keep food warm for up to four hours.
Lieutenant-Colonel Sebastian Tan, Head of Material Branch at Army HQ Supply and Transport, said: "Normally out-rations are packed in the cookhouse in the unit and some of the training areas can be quite far away from the cookhouse. It may take one to two hours to deliver the food to the soldier. By the time the soldier gets to eat it, the food may not be warm enough."
"The food is definitely much warmer than what we get, it is tastier also."
"I can see no spills and so it is easier to eat, so I feel it is much better."
From August, the entire Armed Forces, from the army to the navy to the airforce, will be using paper meal boxes.
This means all servicemen going out on field exercises will be getting their meals piping hot!
The Environment Council has welcomed the SAF's move to use green products, especially since it uses five million pieces each year.
Mr Howard Shaw, Executive Director of Singapore Environment Council, said: "One of the things that we address very strongly is to use less disposables, and if you are going to use disposables, use the right kind of disposables.
"The advantage of paper packaging is that it is biodegradable, whereas the polystyrene or plastic equivalent will remain in ecosystem indefinitely."
Also getting increasingly popular, disposable plates, bowls and cutlery made from rice husks, sugar cane and corn!
One foodstall in Jurong is one of those that has switched to using these locally-designed products.
Not only do they look and feel like regular plates, they are even sturdier than disposable ones.
The only drawback is they cost eight times more than styrofoam plates, but the stallowner says they are still cost effective!
Bernie Utchenik, Foodstall Owner, said: "For us, it is very quick and easy, we do not have to hire a cleaner to wash our plates. Our water bill is lower than anyone else around here."
To take the recycling process one step further, the manufacturer is designing a machine which can grind all the plates and the food waste into powdered fertilisers. - CNA -
I've seen it on the TV news, but haven't fingered it over myself. How different is the box from your regular hor-fan version from the local coffeeshop?
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no big diff from hor fun packaging. but they will be stored in foil insulated bags just like they used to deliver pizzas.
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no idea. would have to depend on those who have used it before to tell us.Originally posted by Moxie:I've seen it on the TV news, but haven't fingered it over myself. How different is the box from your regular hor-fan version from the local coffeeshop? -
About blardee time.
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Foil insulated bag?
I didn't see any plastic within the box - ala with the hor-fan - 1st time around & was specifically trying to spot it on the repeat news. Nada.
Accordingly, no more gravvy/soup with the rice? ~lol~
Alamak, just when I mastered tearing off one edge of the styrofoam to use as a makeshift spoon .... -
i am eating packed lunch everyday in camp ... never heard of this news leh .. if got then better.. kinda sick of the plastic smell liaoz..
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dont talk about tearing the edge of the styrofoam box to use as spoon.Originally posted by Moxie:Foil insulated bag?
I didn't see any plastic within the box - ala with the hor-fan - 1st time around & was specifically trying to spot it on the repeat news. Nada.
Accordingly, no more gravvy/soup with the rice? ~lol~
Alamak, just when I mastered tearing off one edge of the styrofoam to use as a makeshift spoon ....
i kanna one extra before just for doing that -
wat is 1 extra?
extra duty, u mean?
i thot tearing of 1 corner as a spoon, is the only way out if there is no spoon lett?
if dun tear, use hands? -
Originally posted by wuming78:dont talk about tearing the edge of the styrofoam box to use as spoon.
i kanna one extra before just for doing that
It's bloody sad that the person who gave you that extra has no brains to think. -
my whole platoon kena also for doing that..but heng the extra was never serve..our RSM think its too bloody dumb to get extra for that..Originally posted by Parka: It's bloody sad that the person who gave you that extra has no brains to think. -
when u r a cadet u learn not to argue with ur instructors.Originally posted by Peace84:wat is 1 extra?
extra duty, u mean?
i thot tearing of 1 corner as a spoon, is the only way out if there is no spoon lett?
if dun tear, use hands?
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Well, that's what you get when your instructor has swill for brains.
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actually he provided a rationale - how breaking of styrofoam releases CFC and is hence detrimental to the ozone layer and all. but we all know that is simply an excuse.Originally posted by LazerLordz:Well, that's what you get when your instructor has swill for brains.
and it was during field camp lah. so instructors find all ways and means to dish out extra duties. -
About tearing off one corner off the styrofoam box as makeshift spoon. I think we kena extra for not bringing utensils to the field. Anyway, it's usually the work of some forgetful storeman/OOCs/ATT Bs who forgot to include disposable spoons.
Anyway. my unit should be converting to paper box meals and foil insulated bag meals. Looking forward to it.
But i do foresee unhygenic practices in due time as the bag tend to retain water and harder to air as opposed to styrofoam boxes. -
air? u mean u all reuse the styofoam box?? (not the big box leh)Originally posted by Ponders:About tearing off one corner off the styrofoam box as makeshift spoon. I think we kena extra for not bringing utensils to the field. Anyway, it's usually the work of some forgetful storeman/OOCs/ATT Bs who forgot to include disposable spoons.
Anyway. my unit should be converting to paper box meals and foil insulated bag meals. Looking forward to it.
But i do foresee unhygenic practices in due time as the bag tend to retain water and harder to air as opposed to styrofoam boxes. -
Actually, I was quite anti-styrofoam tearing until my final 2 ICTs or so. Consider it a value judgment/quirk, but I thought it was "degrading".
I'd rather walk around & borrow a spoon - waiting for a while, if need be. Usually, though, I badgered the CQ people for one of those plastic spoons they always set aside for the officers' meal table, or swiped a used/unused one when no one's looking.
Then it's my turn to lend others my spoon for the rest of the field exercise! ~lol~