Slog - Comments on Taking Recycling Too Far... http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/11/taking_recycling_too_far ...in China: Used condoms are being recycled into hair bands in southern China, threatening to spread sexually-transmittable diseases they were originally meant to prevent, state media reported Tuesday. In the latest example of potentially harmful Chinese-made products, rubber hair bands have been found in local markets and beauty salons in Dongguan and Guangzhou cities in southern Guangdong province, China Daily newspaper said. "These cheap and colourful rubber bands and hair ties sell well ... threatening the health of local people," it said. Despite being recycled, the hair bands could still contain bacteria and viruses, it said. "People could be infected... Copyright 2008 Wed, 14 Nov 2007 11:17:13 -0800 Wed, 14 Nov 2007 19:06:31 -0800 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.34 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Comment by otter So, the jury is still out on HIV from blowjobs, but HIV from used condoms in your mouth is a known transmission source? I'm glad I got that question answered.

]]> otter http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/11/taking_recycling_too_far#c849531 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/11/taking_recycling_too_far#c849531 What the Wed, 14 Nov 2007 11:25:57 -0800 Comment by Fnarf I call bullshit.

]]> Fnarf http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/11/taking_recycling_too_far#c849538 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/11/taking_recycling_too_far#c849538 What the Wed, 14 Nov 2007 11:29:51 -0800 Comment by Will in Seattle Well, it depends on open cuts and sores. If you are a meth addict, you should not perform blowjobs, for example, as that increases your risk of AIDS/HIV.

Same goes if you have herpes and open sores in your mouth, or active lesions of any kind. Piercings increase your risk factor too.

]]> Will in Seattle http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/11/taking_recycling_too_far#c849539 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/11/taking_recycling_too_far#c849539 What the Wed, 14 Nov 2007 11:29:58 -0800 Comment by Mr. Poe What Fnarf said.

]]> Mr. Poe http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/11/taking_recycling_too_far#c849544 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/11/taking_recycling_too_far#c849544 What the Wed, 14 Nov 2007 11:32:03 -0800 Comment by scared Holy disgusting fuck!

Seriously China! Are you that ignorant, or do you really hate your people as much as I suspect you do.

]]> scared http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/11/taking_recycling_too_far#c849545 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/11/taking_recycling_too_far#c849545 What the Wed, 14 Nov 2007 11:32:25 -0800 Comment by monkey Hey, if Dong says it's true...

Dong? DONG? Where is grandpa's automobile?

]]> monkey http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/11/taking_recycling_too_far#c849549 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/11/taking_recycling_too_far#c849549 What the Wed, 14 Nov 2007 11:35:13 -0800 Comment by Sierra Yet another reason not to buy crap that has "made in China" on it.

]]> Sierra http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/11/taking_recycling_too_far#c849558 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/11/taking_recycling_too_far#c849558 What the Wed, 14 Nov 2007 11:42:05 -0800 Comment by josh bomb hahahahaha, you said DONG!!!

]]> josh bomb http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/11/taking_recycling_too_far#c849559 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/11/taking_recycling_too_far#c849559 What the Wed, 14 Nov 2007 11:42:44 -0800 Comment by arduous Okay seriously? I think this whole thing is retarded. A#1, where the hell are they getting the condoms from? Are there used condom nabbers who root for them in the trash? A#2 don't they have to do some processing to make them into rubber bands? At the very least, wouldn't they at least ... wash them? A#3 what STD is so potent that it would remain after days of oxygen and washing?

This whole story is crap.

]]> arduous http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/11/taking_recycling_too_far#c849560 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/11/taking_recycling_too_far#c849560 What the Wed, 14 Nov 2007 11:44:39 -0800 Comment by Sally Struthers Lawnchair I have one in my mouth right now, it tastes fine.

]]> Sally Struthers Lawnchair http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/11/taking_recycling_too_far#c849569 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/11/taking_recycling_too_far#c849569 What the Wed, 14 Nov 2007 11:50:31 -0800 Comment by Fnarf "In the latest example of potentially harmful Chinese-made products" -- c'mon, folks, you're being conned here.

For starters, prove to me that the cost of the rubber in hair bands is a significant part of the costs of the manufacturer -- and that it's more than the cost of collecting used condoms (from where?).

We happen to be in the middle of a media-generated hysteria over Chinese products, and another desperate "journalist" has made some shit up to try and get picked up on the wire. It's happened before.

The condoms on display on the woman's hat in the AFP story are spectacularly unlikely to be used ones. Condoms are free in China.

]]> Fnarf http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/11/taking_recycling_too_far#c849571 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/11/taking_recycling_too_far#c849571 What the Wed, 14 Nov 2007 11:51:05 -0800 Comment by Chinaman I call bullshit as well.

Remember the putting cardboard in food story a few months back?

]]> Chinaman http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/11/taking_recycling_too_far#c849572 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/11/taking_recycling_too_far#c849572 What the Wed, 14 Nov 2007 11:51:22 -0800 Comment by Madashell OK, STDs aside, this is just plain NASTY! Semen is biowaste. In its decay other microbes join the party.
Don't want that in my hair, mouth, or anywhere near me, thank you very much.

]]> Madashell http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/11/taking_recycling_too_far#c849573 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/11/taking_recycling_too_far#c849573 What the Wed, 14 Nov 2007 11:54:25 -0800 Comment by arduous Actually the AFP caption for the hat is, "Clothing decorated with condoms seen at the 4th China Reproductive Health New Technologies and Products Expo in Beijing."

This is not even one of the examples of recycled condom hairbands. It's just a picture of a Chinese person wearing a condom hat to PROMOTE REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH at a REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH EXPO.

]]> arduous http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/11/taking_recycling_too_far#c849576 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/11/taking_recycling_too_far#c849576 What the Wed, 14 Nov 2007 11:56:59 -0800 Comment by kinaidos Hey, hold on and give credit where credit is due. Here's one chinese product that isn't coated in lead or butyl diol.

]]> kinaidos http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/11/taking_recycling_too_far#c849585 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/11/taking_recycling_too_far#c849585 What the Wed, 14 Nov 2007 12:03:54 -0800 Comment by Will in Seattle @15 - depends on who it was in.

]]> Will in Seattle http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/11/taking_recycling_too_far#c849594 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/11/taking_recycling_too_far#c849594 What the Wed, 14 Nov 2007 12:11:45 -0800 Comment by inkweary They're a bunch of dickheads.

]]> inkweary http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/11/taking_recycling_too_far#c849641 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/11/taking_recycling_too_far#c849641 What the Wed, 14 Nov 2007 12:40:51 -0800 Comment by T Does nobody remember this? #11 nailed it, we're in the middle of a pretty extensive anti-China media blitz. I'm calling shenanigans on this one.

]]> T http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/11/taking_recycling_too_far#c849645 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/11/taking_recycling_too_far#c849645 What the Wed, 14 Nov 2007 12:42:45 -0800 Comment by Fnarf I'm just waiting for some Senators to smash a bunch of Chinese stuff on the steps of the Senate, like they did with Toshiba radios twenty years ago. Pointless, wrong-headed gestures? Sure, we can do that.

]]> Fnarf http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/11/taking_recycling_too_far#c849669 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/11/taking_recycling_too_far#c849669 What the Wed, 14 Nov 2007 12:58:38 -0800 Comment by Lloyd Clydesdale What are the chances that they're sold alongside bags of white jellybeans?

]]> Lloyd Clydesdale http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/11/taking_recycling_too_far#c849676 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/11/taking_recycling_too_far#c849676 What the Wed, 14 Nov 2007 13:01:18 -0800 Comment by The CHZA If the surname "Dong" isn't a dead give away for BS, I don't know what is. That or I'm an insensitive racist and it's coincidental :P

]]> The CHZA http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/11/taking_recycling_too_far#c850106 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/11/taking_recycling_too_far#c850106 What the Wed, 14 Nov 2007 19:06:31 -0800