Compostable: yes
Packaging: none
Material: oak (Quercus phillyaeoides)
Dimensions: +/- 10 cm long, 1,5 cm diameter
Weight: 60-80 gr
Use for: +/- 3 months
How to use:
1. Use glass or stainsless steel jars or bottles.
2. Before using, rinse the charcoal sticks under running water and gently brush to remove excess ash.
3. Bring a pot of water to boiling point, add the charcoal sticks to the water and allow to boil for 15 minutes in total changing the water twice. The charcoal is now ready to use!
4. Fill with drinking tap water.
5. Wait for the charcoal to filter chemicals between 4 and 8 hours (overnight is ideal), but you will taste the difference after just one hour. Then, enjoy great tasting water!
Important: do not use with flavored cordials, fruit infusions or tea.
Care tips:
1. Do not wash with detergent or soap.
2. The sticks should be reactivated by boiling every 2-3 weeks.
3. They will begin to lose their effectiveness around 3 months and should be replaced.
Why Binchotan?
It is renowned for its ability to soften water, balance the pH, add good minerals such as calcium, iron and magnesium back into the water which enhances its taste and health benefits, and absorb unwanted tastes and odours, such as chlorine.
How does it work?
The surface of the Binchotan charcoal is very porous with tiny cavities oriented in many directions. Just 1 gram has a surface area in excess of 500 m² (about one tenth the size of a football field). It is also known as active carbon as the ions of contaminants are attracted to the surface of the carbon, where they will be held.
How is it made?
The branches are placed in a kiln and charred at a quite low temperature for some time, then, at the end of the process, the kiln temperature is raised to about 1000 Cº to make the wood red-hot. The charcoal is then removed and quickly covered with a special powder made from earth, sand and ash, and this gives the charcoal surface a whitish hue (explaining the name ‘white charcoal’). The rapid rise in temperature, followed
by a rapid cooling, incinerates the bark and leaves a smooth, hard surface.
What to do when it is finished?
When you have finished using your binchotan as a water filter, it still has many
secondary uses. For example, you can break it up and put it in your house plants, it will add nutrients to the soil that will help the plant to grow. It also can be used as a deodoriser to remove unwanted odors in your cat litter, bin or shoes. Binchotan is also a very good moisture absorbent, and can help absorb humidity in the air if placed in a wardrobe.
What if I see loose particles in my water?
Do not worry, these will not harm you when swallowed. Active charcoal is prescribed to treat diarrhoea, digestion and flatulence.
