Signature project: Lead-Free Noodle Pot giveaway

Lead-Free Noodle Pot Giveaway

Began in 2010 and has been held for eleven consecutive years by Rotary Club of Bangkok Vibhavadi in partnership with Siam Makro PCL and Satien Stainless Steel PCL. This project aims to raise awareness about the dangers of lead poisoning, which results from the use of substandard cookpot, especially among noodle shops, as consumption of lead-contaminated food over time can cause various health problems particularly in young children.

By creating an exchange program where shop owners can bring their unsafe noodle pots and receive stainless steel replacements for free. The unsafe noodle pots are destroyed, guaranteeing these pots cannot be salvaged for reuse. Alongside the exchange, we offer campaign stickers which can be used in their stores to boost their customers’ confidence about food safety, as well as allowing them to gain more sales from the new and health-cautious customers.

Using unsafe noodle cookers that have been manufactured using lead-based solder can potentially pose a risk of lead exposure, particularly if the solder comes into contact with food. The presence of lead in a noodle when ingested, can accumulate in the body over time and lead to significant effects on the nervous system, and brain development particularly in young children and pregnant women, as it not only poses risks to their health but also to the developing fetus.

Over the past eleven years, we have distributed 6,769 stainless steel noodle pots, which valued over 12 million baht to shops and school cafeterias in various area of Thailand, contributing to over 300 million lead-free meals per year.