# Is plasticine made of poop?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-plasticine-made-of-poop/245411>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 16, 2004, 10:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-plasticine-made-of-poop/245411 "2004-05-16T10:21:23Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![flapcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@flapcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flapcats)\
**Post date:** [May 16, 2004, 10:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-plasticine-made-of-poop/245411/1 "2004-05-16T10:21:23Z")

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I can’t recall where I heard it, but I have this weird memory that someone said plasticine (or silly putty) was made from fecal matter. Presumably bleached, boiled, irradiated and nuked etc…

But still, did I dream it or was whoever told me right?

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**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\
**Post date:** [May 16, 2004, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-plasticine-made-of-poop/245411/2 "2004-05-16T11:39:57Z")

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No .

Silly Putty (a Trademarked product of somebody or other) is made of silicon. It is a by-product of synthetic rubber research.

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**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\
**Post date:** [May 16, 2004, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-plasticine-made-of-poop/245411/3 "2004-05-16T13:07:05Z")

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From

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>
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> [@](#):
>
> Here are the ingredients of commercially available Silly Putty:
> 
> Silicone Bouncing Putty Ingredients  
> (Dow Corning 3179 Dilatant Compound)  
> Percentages by weight:
> 
> ```
> * 65% - Dimethyl Siloxane, hydroxy-terminated polymers with boric acid
> * 17% - Silica, quartz crystalline
> * 9% - Thixotrol ST
> * 4% - Polydimethylsiloxane
> * 1% - Decamethyl cyclopentasiloxane
> * 1% - Glycerine
> * 1% - Titanium Dioxide
> 
> ```

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**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\
**Post date:** [May 16, 2004, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-plasticine-made-of-poop/245411/4 "2004-05-16T15:17:12Z")

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OTOH Milorganite IS.

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**Author:** ![Hunter\_Hawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)\
**Post date:** [May 16, 2004, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-plasticine-made-of-poop/245411/5 "2004-05-16T16:39:13Z")

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> [@Revtim](#):
>
> Silicone Bouncing Putty Ingredients  
> (Dow Corning 3179 Dilatant Compound)  
> Percentages by weight:
> 
> - 65% - Dimethyl Siloxane, hydroxy-terminated polymers with boric acid
> - 17% - Silica, quartz crystalline  
> …

Okay, so you’re saying that Silly Putty is made from _Horta_ poop?

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**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\
**Post date:** [May 17, 2004, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-plasticine-made-of-poop/245411/6 "2004-05-17T04:51:25Z")

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My Grandmother told me Play-Doh was colored cow poop…after she caught me eating it.  
:eek:  
(hey, I was 7 and was into the salty taste…other kids had paste, I had Play-doh 😉 )