QF Cutlery

[nlagalle]

Just saw this today and thought hmmmm.....

What the fork! Qantas cutlery scandal | Herald Sun

Part of me thinks we "recycle" metal cutlery, what's wrong with doing it on plastic? But there is the association of plastic and disposable.... And or course those blasted plastic knives!

 

[oz_mark]

Personally, I don't see anything wrong with recycling plastic knives.

 

[straitman]

Just saw this today and thought hmmmm.....

What the fork! Qantas cutlery scandal | Herald Sun

Part of me thinks we "recycle" metal cutlery, what's wrong with doing it on plastic? But there is the association of plastic and disposable.... And or course those blasted plastic knives!

I find this comment interesting 'Qantas defended its recycling policy, saying the plastic used was more robust than the disposable plastic of take-away cutlery and was put through a strict cleaning process.'

All I can say to that is, It's all a lot of rubbish :!:

I will be thankful when the plastic knives finally beat the dust. Does anyone recall when that is due to occur :?:

 

[anat0l]

Well, QF plastic cutlery is more robust than your average plastic cutlery of sorts. That part is true.

I don't see why they could not be recycled, or rather reused is the more semantically correct term here (they are washed then put back again). I would appreciate if there was a process to quality check the hygiene of reused cutlery (i.e. check for possible diseases etc. that may be hiding in damaged cutlery). That is probably the highest concern of most people, but putting that aside (and assuming there does exist a process which can clean cutlery), what else is the problem with reusing plastic cutlery?

I'll be glad for metal knives again only because of utility, not so much that they are a health hazard.

 

[Skoogle]

Gee, is it a slow news day.

A Virgin Blue spokeswoman said crew on V Australia long-haul flights threw out plastic cutlery after it was used.

This story should be about VirginBlue and their lack of a re-cycle/re-use program.

 

[samh004]

This story should be about VirginBlue and their lack of a re-cycle/re-use program.

Exactly.

I’ll call Greenpeace and get them to launch a smear campaign tomorrow

Then again…

However, the company was considering a recycling program for long-haul flights, the spokeswoman said.

So pretty much there is no story, as the other airline is considering doing the same.

And what was with that comment about the sandwich, talk about apples and oranges.

 

[simongr]

I think the comment about the sandwich was there to make a point that didnt exist in order to detract from QF's image. Sadly some people will read that comment and believe it...

 

[oz_mark]

I think the comment about the sandwich was there to make a point that didnt exist in order to detract from QF's image. Sadly some people will read that comment and believe it...

IMHO it was quite a childish comment. A sandwich is clearly a consumable, and while it may be recycled as 'green waste', this is a completely different process to re-using plastic cutlery.

 

[trooper]

I'm not a QF fan.. but it is pretty clear that either:

Various media outlets hold QF to a higher standard than anyone else, OR

Said outlets just want to say anything bad about QF that they can concievably come up with!

I am cynical enough to think the latter is more likely....

Seems appropriate to clean/reuse the robust types of plastic cutlery... I would assume the cleaning process is at least as good as that required in restaurants etc...

 

[UP4014]

I'm not a QF fan.. but it is pretty clear that either:

Various media outlets hold QF to a higher standard than anyone else, OR

Said outlets just want to say anything bad about QF that they can concievably come up with!

Seems appropriate to clean/reuse the robust types of plastic cutlery... I would assume the cleaning process is at least as good as that required in restaurants etc...

Trooper; Your 1st point is spot on, the other airlines here including DJ are low cost carriers, people have low expecations (ok, Airways TV show passengers don't however).

I'd like to think everything is cleaned properly for anything food related on every airline!

 

[harvyk]

Just like Qantas remind you that under Australian law, smoking is not permitted on this flight no matter what country you are in or are going to, under Australian food service laws, Qantas is also required to meet a minimum hygiene levels.

I personally don't care, after eating 100's of meals on QF services I have yet to get sick from the food or the utensils, so obviously their cleaning processes are working.

 

[ejb]

Short of thousands of people reporting sickness due to unknown causes aboard QF I can not see the problem here.

If it has been going on for years that means millions of pax woul dhave used recycled cutlery and I am yet to hear of sickness.

Better to wash than throw away.

However I do hope they return metal cutlery soon.

ejb

 

[markis10]

I would be more worried about the recycled water being used than the cutlery!

 

[Dee Thom]

However I do hope they return metal cutlery soon.
ejb

Remember metal cutlery is also rewashed after each flight. I've never been sick from dirty cutlery, plastic or metal, can't say the same about the food though.
If your worried, take your own knife with you; you can now purchase ceramic knives with non metal handles made by Kyocera in Japan.:shock:

Cheers Dee

 

[anat0l]

Remember metal cutlery is also rewashed after each flight. I've never been sick from dirty cutlery, plastic or metal, can't say the same about the food though.
If your worried, take your own knife with you; you can now purchase ceramic knives with non metal handles made by Kyocera in Japan.:shock:

Most people I believe might be concerned about infection. Plastic can be easy to get stuff embedded within it, whereas metal there is no chance.

Of course, then there is the overall mentality that plastic = use once.

Finally, I thought that all knives - irrespective of material - are banned from cabin baggage?

 

[harvyk]

Plastic can be easy to get stuff embedded within it, whereas metal there is no chance.

Of course, then there is the overall mentality that plastic = use once.

Finally, I thought that all knives - irrespective of material - are banned from cabin baggage?

Actually metal can have germs embedded into it, as it is still pores. If you are really that worried you should ask for porcelain cutlery (if they even make it), as it really is a smooth surface. (According to Dr Karl)

That said, very few germs like really hot environments for extended period of times... Now granted metal is a better conductor of heat than plastic, so germs hiding in it will be killed quicker, but leave plastic inside a hot environment long enough and it will heat up enough to kill the nasties without melting the plastic... (I believe 70C is the magic number)

 

[anat0l]

Actually metal can have germs embedded into it, as it is still pores. If you are really that worried you should ask for porcelain cutlery (if they even make it), as it really is a smooth surface. (According to Dr Karl)

If a metal surface is finished properly, barring deformations and dents which later provide inlets for germs then it should harbour less than plastic. This "fact" isn't helped by common mentality.

That said, very few germs like really hot environments for extended period of times... Now granted metal is a better conductor of heat than plastic, so germs hiding in it will be killed quicker, but leave plastic inside a hot environment long enough and it will heat up enough to kill the nasties without melting the plastic... (I believe 70C is the magic number)

All true; additionally for plastic you need to ensure that the temperature at which the plastic is being heated to does not result in the production/transformation of the plastic into hazardous compounds. Melting certainly brings about this problem but even before melting the risk needs to be noted.

I wonder how they clean them; high pressure steam?

 

[Dee Thom]

Finally, I thought that all knives - irrespective of material - are banned from cabin baggage?

Ceramic knives are white in colour, held to the light can be just seen through, and will not set off alarms at the airport. Me, I havn't been game to try, but a Japanese friend takes one, much the same size as the plastic ones, during most of his travels, but so far not to the U.S. The ceramic blade holds its sharpness for three to five years depending on use, and can only be sharpened by diamond machine.

Cheers Dee

 

[ejb]

Remember metal cutlery is also rewashed after each flight. ...
Cheers Dee

At least we hope it is.

I would not be game enough to carry a non metal knife onboard as that is asking for trouble IMHO.

ejb

 

[Archphoto]

What's the difference? When it was normal cutlery, they reused again and again and again. . . .

As long as they are hygienically washing the utensils, I'm fine with them re-using; way too much landfill today - can you calculate how many sets would be tossed by Virgin on any given day? Multiply that by every airline that uses plastic utensils and what figure do you come to?

"I asked them, 'If you have half a leftover sandwich, do you put it with another half?' " the supplier said.

Typical sensationalistic journalism - one is reusable the other is not; get a grip! A case methinks of damned if they do, damned if they don't. (How many times do you think you use those Marc Newson plastic cups that you drink your coffee out of??)

Kudos to Qantas for seeing that their sturdier cutlery can be re-used and are taking steps to reduce landfill. Jeers (once again) to News Ltd for their typical shortsighted and useless reporting on a subject.

And no, I don't have shares in the company. :mrgreen: