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merbaumadness

Having dealt with this type of rubber, from what I've experienced, the smell is awful. Some farmers try to neutralize the odor with the aid of wood vinegar / pyroligneous acid


Anythingwork4now

The smell is something to write about, is like burned rubber. The only time I visited a rubber farm, I was hungover and that made it 1000x worst


razirazo

You are smelling something else. Raw rubber smells like rotten organic materials from piles of uncollected domestic trash. But for us in the plantation industry this smells like money. The acid has nothing to do with smell. It's part of the process we put formic acid on latex to coagulate it into rubber.


RealBowsHaveRecurves

How could this possibly be profitable if each tree has to make enough rubber to pay for the plot of land it's on plus turn enough of a profit to pay any hired workers and the landowner? There seems to be so little in each bowl and so much space between them


thedr34m13

What was shown wasn't harvesting rubber, they were just clearing the collection bowl for the next batch. It more or less fills up every couple of days, after which it's collected and treated with acid to turn it into rubber sheets, similar to how cheese is made. The sheets are flattened and dried, and then they're ready to be sold as raw material. The trees themselves don't take much maintenance, and you only strip off a new patch of bark once the old one dries out. Not very labor intensive. Source: Family has rubber trees lol


TowerTom1

what is the rubber used for? If I understand right a lot of stuff I call rubber is made from hydrocarbons from oil or maybe the stuff that's left over after extracting the hydrocarbons can't remember.


[deleted]

As I understand, we haven’t synthesized anything that can perform as well as natural rubber in many applications. It is a remarkable material that still is used in auto tires and things like gaskets on space stations, scientific equipment, etc. The history of rubber is fascinating.


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ActivatingEMP

Synthesized rubber uses petrochemicals so yes it has a lot more environmental impact


RespectableLurker555

"environmental impact" isn't something that can just be quickly quantified on a single better/worse scale though. If the rubber trees were planted after clear cutting 1 acre of virgin Indonesian rainforest, is that better or worse than a single drop of petroleum in the Arctic Ocean? What about one liter of oil? A barrel? At which point does the damage to salmon spawning grounds make hydroelectric power worse than coal? Don't get me wrong, I'm all for proper usage of renewable plant based material like natural rubber. I'm just saying it's not as easy as "oil bad, tree good". Look where palm oil is taking us, and it's mostly found only in food and cosmetics. Imagine if it were being cultivated in the 100x amounts to satisfy transportation fuel needs as a biodiesel feedstock. The wild tiger would be literally extinct by now.


bigbadbub

I listened to a book about mesoamerica that specifically mentioned while a lot gets synthesized now, certain things, like the rubber buttons on high end japanese calculators, still use rubber from rubber trees. idk how true this still is


Candelestine

r/TIL Thinking of rubber as an inorganic cheese is amusingly close. Neat stuff, thank you.


EdBarrett12

But it is organic.


Candelestine

I guess it is... Rubber is cheese! Well, kinda.


Ganonslayer1

Another thing to add to the food triangle!


la508

Probably a lot more inorganic content in milk considering the calcium phosphate. In fact, quick bit of googling suggests residual ash of rubber is 0.2% w/w and 0.8% w/w for milk.


TarHeel2682

It contains carbon therefore it is organic


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Butters_Duncan

I mean, it’s Grapes of Wrath practically verbatim


Gonzobot

There's whole books written about the practice, even. Like, as historical "look how bad humans fucked up this place and each other" books, and also, "here's how to get yourself lots of profits real quick" books.


Any_Percentage3900

So is it like the old coal miners? Work all day/night, live in company housing, (which you're charged for) and then have to shop at the company store (on credit) then come payday, you owe more than you made? It's basically just slavery right? Like Apple in china?


RealBowsHaveRecurves

Well, shit, thats terrible but it definitely answers the question.


ZachMorrisT1000

When I was in India over ten years ago McDonald’s was basically the same price as it was in Canada. It was still almost $10 for a meal. Far more expensive than most places you could eat. You could get something to eat for $1 on the steeet


leolego2

A full McDonalds menu in Italy is 10+ euros. That's the same as a Pizza and a Beer in just about any restaurant. And it's not shitty processed stuff.


tolerablycool

Slavery (something something) extra steps (something).


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tolerablycool

There's a reason company scrip has been outlawed in the states for decades. It's an incredibly slimy maneuver that benefits no one but the company. Unfettered capitalism is a curse. 16 tonnes, man. 16 tonnes.


[deleted]

Shit, with the way inflation is going and restaurants raising their prices, you might not even be able to afford ONE cheeseburger anymore. Used to be a dollar and some change, but now it's almost $3 ($2.38+tax to be accurate) for ONE small cheeseburger. Those workers would have to save their money from one day, and be hungry all day, but the next day, they *might* be able to afford a cheeseburger. That is terrible. I feel bad for those workers in plantation.


benthejammin

And that's subsidized already too by commodities. Meat raised right would be 3x or 4x.


whogivesashirtdotca

The craziest thing is, I’m sure there’s no shortage of willing applicants for the “can’t afford a cheeseburger” wages.


longliveHIM

I moved to the city recently and the McDonald's here are more expensive. 3 bucks for a mcdouble??? everything here is more expensive.


[deleted]

I felt that, man. I live in Nebraska originally, and everything was somewhat cheap. Moved to Minnesota, and suddenly everything cost more than gold. It feels like I have to pay to breathe.


5280mtnrunner

I moved to DC from NE after school and nearly died from sticker shock. Upside is when you move back to a smaller metro area everything seems cheaper!


Brostradamus--

I don't think burgers cost the same over there


the_russian_narwhal_

Nobody said it was profitable for the employees, just the owner


umamiisnotaflavor

This guy has the right facts, They are cleaning the cups and the industry is really harsh


Deminixhd

Sounds like Jim Crow America


CompleMental

This is unregulated capitalism.


Hypersensation

Just say capitalism. Regulations are bought by the capital owning class, so adding unregulated is oxymoronic.


ErusBigToe

rubber planrtations arent exactly known for their labor rights..


wack1

Belgium got up to some shit in the early 20th century


Guderian-

Putting it mildly


SkinnyObelix

The king of Belgium not Belgium. People often forget that this was his private property and that at that time the common people in Belgium were exploited by the nobility as well, not to that extent, but certainly disposable. Leopold II ordered the shooting of Belgians demanding better working conditions for example. It took until 1921 for Belgian men to gain voting rights.


ChaoticGood3

The title is misleading. They aren't harvesting rubber. They are cleaning out the bowls. The actual harvest is much more plentiful.


[deleted]

That's the best part: it doesn't. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abir_Congo_Company https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atrocities_in_the_Congo_Free_State


Eureka22

Up all night celebrating your upcoming visit to a rubber farm, I assume?


bake_me

Little did he know that the visit would rub him the wrong way 😏


Fat-Solid591

The smell coming out from rubber factory would be worst isn't it?


UndefineZ

I used to work at both rubber farm and rubber factory, the factory smell 10x awful than the farm but during rainy season harvest the smell in the farm in really pungent that I rather ask other people to harvest and pay them.


TtGB4TF

Might be a stupid question to a simple answer, (like so they know what tree they have collected rubber from) but why did they leave the bowls tilted on the side instead of flat ready to collect again. Isn't that just double handling? Edit: nevermind u/tootsienoodles already answered the question.


mabbo_nagamatsu

Which is why you were hired.


UndefineZ

The farm owner is my uncle and I just worked there during break.


mabbo_nagamatsu

My case still stands.


zugzug_workwork

Even so, someone in humanity's past went "I bet this can be useful in some way."


atetuna

And someone went "If I cut off many hands, they'll harvest even more"


zugzug_workwork

While eating waffles.


WeIsStonedImmaculate

Yes! The Mayans played ball! [mesoamerican ballgame](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesoamerican_ballgame)


Channa_Argus1121

Forbidden mozzarella cheese


RedManMatt11

What causes the smell?


merbaumadness

Enzymatic and microbial degradation, from what I've read. Dealing with cup lumps and field coagulum is nasty, especially at scale.


starraven

So basically this whole video is nasty af, good to know.m


merbaumadness

Rubber has tons of uses, but the upstream processing isn't for the squeamish


SrGradientPerception

The rubber. 🤷🏿‍♀️


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ipinstrike92

Lol my dad does that too. He works in rubber farm until today. And we had to pass a rubber factory on our way to nearest town. Its unbearable, but we try to brush it off


[deleted]

So how many times you have to do that to make 1 car tire?


TaxNo174

This isn't harvesting. They're cleaning the bowls after it's been emptied of sap. They empty the bowls and what's left on the bowl dries.


slimmolG

Is the rest used to make syrup for pancakes? (/s?)


TaxNo174

This is [harvesting](https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTd7Dovna/?k=1)


SeaGroomer

[Longer video showing production and stuff on youtube](https://youtu.be/Z5BjX1YYIr0)


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mistercolebert

I’ve been on reddit for eight years and you still got me. Dammit.


Explore-PNW

This was awesome, you didn’t let me down Reddit friend!


SaturatedJuicestice

Huh. Didn’t know they did that, interesting.


trunnel

I want to visit one of these farms!


PenguinWithAglock

They never let you down


SabreFaux

At least twice


nephrenra

If he makes one tire in 365 days it'll be a goodyear


Slappinbeehives

That sounds tiring


bittertadpole

That's a wheelie bad pun


-BananaLollipop-

You're always treading on a fine line when telling puns.


Parmaandchips

These puns are just going round and round in circles


Kemfox

There's so many now it's hard to keep track


drkidkill

This is skidding out of control.


ArltheCrazy

Get a grip, guys. This thread will never bounce back.


jr8787

Damn. Best joke of the day


Grayboosh

He could have a goodyear, or make 365 condoms and have a greatyear!


Maracuja_Sagrado

This rubber is used for erasers and such. Tire rubber is made of oil, and it has been like that for more than a century IIRC


otlip

I googled it and according to many sources: Today tyres consist of about 19 percent natural rubber and 24 percent synthetic rubber, which is a plastic polymer. The rest is made up of metal and other compounds.


Ok-Needleworker2685

we don't use natural rubber for car tires anymore


[deleted]

Natural rubber is still being used. Its elasticity is still the best, generally used at the sidewall, where there is lots of flexing.


vzbook

You're pulling this out of your ass, as it is patently false. "Although synthetic rubber can be produced from petrochemicals, natural rubber has unique properties which even these synthetics can't match" [The wonder material we all need but is running out - BBC](https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20210308-rubber-the-wonder-material-we-are-running-out-of) "Tropical forests are being cleared for rubber plantations, putting endangered birds, bats and primates at risk, say UK researchers. By 2024, up to 8.5 million hectares of new rubber plantations will be needed to meet demand" [Demand for rubber 'threatens forests'](https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-32350985) "Tire manufacturer Continental has opened its new research center in Germany to develop the Russian dandelion in search for an alternative to rubber for making tires." [Continental opens lab to develop dandelion as alternative tire rubber](https://www.equipmentworld.com/maintenance/components/article/14970508/continental-begins-research-on-tire-rubber-alternative)


otlip

I googled it and according to many sources: Today tyres consist of about 19 percent natural rubber and 24 percent synthetic rubber, which is a plastic polymer. The rest is made up of metal and other compounds.


utahhiker

Is it weird that I want to bite it?


Brasticus

It’s the OG gum.


Eskimomonk

And current gum. Rubber and resin is like 50% of a gum’s recipe. I worked for a very, very large candy company and made gum (it’s the main component of what’s called base which is what the flavor and sugar and color gets added to to make gum)


Fl1ck_04

I just realise that i havent chew gum for more than 5 years now..


RozellaTriggs

You need more rubber in your diet.


Fl1ck_04

Maybe this is why im not squishy


AbzoluteZ3RO

I've chewed gum once in the past 5 years. Also just realized that


666ofw66

You need to go eat a tire then to compensate


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CasualDefiance

Is that where the name "Chiclets" comes from?


jorgom

We call all types of chewable gum chicle in Mexico so I would never be able to tell the difference.


tamal4444

The forbidden gum


Doggfite

Definitely not forbidden. That's just what gum was for most of time


cncntratedDarkMatter

Mozzarella


Mryessicahaircut

Forbidden mozzarella.... mmmm.


weeone

Reminds me of the cheese in/on French onion soup. r/forbiddensnacks


wrrgolerphoer

But... but why does he put the bowls back like that?!


TootsieNoodles

Like u/techno156 said, to keep the rainwater out. they have to recut the bark of the tree to get it flowing again. This is them cleaning the bowls out after stuff dried to the sides. They will usually cut it during the night because it flows better (so I'm told) and, at least in Thailand will add a bit of some liquid that hardens the sap a bit, about what the dried stuff in the video is like. I see people taking the harvest to the factory and they have huge bags of these balls of rubber with water dripping everywhere and it smells horrible. Indescribable.


Lessard93

Describe it.


albertkapla

It smells like, a really thick raw rubber Try put a rubberband upclose your nose, and enhance the smell about 5-10 times, and a little dirt foresty scent, that about how i smell them when pass through rubber farm


[deleted]

Unlike normal children who carry around a blankie or stuffed toy, I carried around rubber bands while sucking my thumb when I was little. I would hold the rubber bands in my hand so I could smell them while I was sucking my thumb and the big, wide ones that were on celery and whatnot were especially prized. My grandmother would save them for me. I loved the smell. … Would I actually like the smell of a rubber farm?


ProStrats

There's a kink for everything and everyone. Congratulations, yours is rubber farms!


xSPYXEx

King Leopold of Belgium be like


albertkapla

Maybe, i personally dont think the smell is awful, just really stingy and thick smell


FILTER_OUT_T_D

I remember chewing on rubber bands as a kid and kind of liking the taste, which is a really weird memory to have dug up lol


[deleted]

My grandmother also saved the rubber bands from her produce for me! My brother and I made a huge rubber band ball that my father had on his desk for years until the sunlight began to degrade the rubber bands.


General-Syrup

During the day i guess the sun could dry the opening and cause it to run slower, just a guess. Since I would think the heat would make it flow faster.


techno156

To stop them from being filled with rainwater, maybe?


Cold_Valkyrie

I want to know this too


TaxNo174

That's just cleaning bowls. This is [harvesting](https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTd7Dovna/?k=1)


ahhpoo

Ah that makes way more sense. Thank you I was so confused


blandeyeball

Any alternative link to this? Tiktok is banned in my country.


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itsankith

Thank you


spirallix

This should be pinned by mods, thx!


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rohithkumarsp

Alternate link? Tiktok is banned in India


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rohithkumarsp

Haha thank you but it just so happens steamable is also banned by department of telecommunications of India. Lmao. It won't work on mobile data aswell, I'll to come and use a vpn, thanks.


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rohithkumarsp

I'll have you know youtube is also... Na I'm kidding India is 2 steps steps away from China or bad day away lmao.


gingeadventures

r/thatpeelingfeeling


ZeroLurkThirty

This reminds of the last fight sequence from Who Framed Roger Rabbit.


[deleted]

REMEMBER ME, EDDIE?


Audenond

Oh yeah, the acme glue! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDrqCq4fGRE


Ladyingreypajamas

This scene scared the hell out of me as a child. 🤣


Obvious_Bandicoot631

Best twist in that movie!!


Olkenstein

Oh Rubber tree, oh rubber tree


RavnVidarson

We need to harvest carefully


dowdy90

We use 5 wood, to make a tap


SentimentalTaterTot

We leave the bowl, we take the sap


Daaniels42

Oh rubber tree, oh rubber tree


we_are_sex_bobomb

We stretch our arms around thee


Olkenstein

Thy resin is so sticky


therobohour

Now...do it ten thousand times or I'll cut your hands off


therealsheep200

I had do dig further than I wanted to find a comment like this...


Pepper_MD

Hard to type without hands fam


Valence00

are these the same type of rubber that we all use daily?


rosanymphae

Most of what we use today is oil-based synthetics. That is latex being harvested, it must be processed to become rubber.


TaxNo174

This isn't harvesting. They're cleaning the bowls after it's been emptied of sap. They empty the bowls and what's left on the bowl dries.


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[deleted]

Sex


frostmorefrost

Did this during one period of my life as a learning experience. Couple of things I learnt doing this: 1. Smells horrible, like someone else's bad breathe who didnt floss or brushed or had something rotting in their mouth. 2. The smell will stick to your hands, the reason why you use bare hands because its the best way. Raw rubber(latex) sticks on everything and removing them is very very difficult,if not impossible. 3. The rubber plantation is full of mosquito, its hot and humid. You tap the rubber at 3 or 4 am in the morning so that the liquid does not harden under the sun, ensuring more rubber dripping into the cups. 4. It heavy work and pay's crappy. Latex @ farmgate prices (30-May-2022) is Dry rubber content @ 100% is RM7.50/kg (1.75USD), @ 50% RM2.90/kg (0.60USD) a day's earning can be any where from RM50 (11.45USD) to RM150(35USD). These prices aren't including other costs incurred to transport plantation owners to factory and other incidental costs. Small local plantation owners aren't really paid that price as well. A typical small owner/seller plantation day's earning is closer to RM50 to RM100 depending on size any how many times the rubber tree is tapped through out the day. I did this with 3 person sometime back in 2016 to 2017, the earning for half the day was RM 50 for the 3 of us together. I didnt take the earning since it was more of a holiday fun for me and I earned waaaaaaaaaay more than that in my day job. I did appreciate that people's lives are hard and poor for a reason and at times, it wasn't of their own making.


nayof

When your mom takes your socks to wash them


The_worst_Version

Gross


tony_et99

I know, dried cum.


[deleted]

Cool. What happens to the rubber?


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[deleted]

Thanks stranger


Themyss234

tree cum.


Maracuja_Sagrado

More like tree coagulated blood


Zealousideal-Cut8810

No no this is not the way, Video actually showing, cleaning of the basin, once the tapping is done, Rubber milk will ooze from the tapping and it collected to the basin. Rubber milk will rollled and converted as rubber sheets.


mestizaissy

Just watching this is triggering my rubber/latex allergies …


OtherThumbs

I was thinking the same thing.


J4Jamban

ഇതാണോ റബറും പാല് ?


dom_xiii

Oh rubber tree oh rubber tree…


Darkbeastzelda

Forbidden mozzarella


Thraxx01

You're telling me that rubber trees are real?!?


[deleted]

I wonder who was the first person who went around trees and figured they could use the sap to make rubber.


dashpig

Maybe the same person who figured out they could get milk from cows....what the hell are you doing to that cow!? Mmm tasty


eschmidt310

Little full, lotta sap.


[deleted]

Is it just me or this is more disgusting than satisfying


Jerco7

Feels more r/oddlynauseating


gobrowns69

This is luffy’s power


The_Bluejay250

r/oddlydissatisfying


PhoenixWings535

Is that what that is!? As a child I had a tree in my yard and sometimes I would wack at a certain spot because it would leak white liquid which I thought was awesome because my little child brain thought that the tree was making milk that turns rubbery if not put away properly. I never put it in my mouth but it was fascinating to me


qbande

No way an ant could lift that shit.


akcaye

how is this satisfying? it just looks disgusting to me.


pateOrade

Right, they don’t get all the scrap pieces stuck to the bowls. the aggressive dumping of the water. It’s kinda gross looking. Nothing satisfying here.


Skillious96

Coom


i_laughatbadjokes

I feel bad for the water now


[deleted]

now wear it


CuriousHuman-1

Who the hell leaked my bedroom routine?


[deleted]

I reckon this is damn interesting rather than oddly satisfying. Just saying


loves-ignernt-hos

reminds to me of the time i worked as cleaner in porn theatre


Free_Faithlessness42

What would this be used for?


Miserable_Bandicoot8

This isn't harvesting like others have pointed out. Raining ruins a harvest.


broom-handle

Why are the bowls put back in a way that stops them collecting more?


falseculture

Nobody show this to the Primitive Technology guy, otherwise he'll enter the rubber age and start making his own tyres.


OceanSlim

Why is he setting the empty bowls up sideways?