Japan’s Got Wood: Chopsticks Used As Biofuel

Not surprisingly, discarded chopsticks are a major source of refuse in Japan. In fact, an estimated 90,000 tons of wood is wasted each year there on disposable chopsticks alone. And now Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has decided to do something about it.

The plan is to use the wooden chopsticks to create ethanol fuel that will help Japan reduce its dependence on foreign sources of energy. The chopsticks would be gathered via collection boxes and then transported to a plant for processing.

Chopsticks. They are clogging Japan’s streets and, more importantly, they make it difficult for me to eat sushi without looking like an idiot. � Sean Fallon

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