The initial stage of manufacturing the harvested latex usually
takes place on the rubber plantation, prior to packing and
shipping. The first step in processing the latex is purification,
which entails straining it to remove the other constituent
elements apart from rubber and to filter out impurities such
as tree sap and debris. 2 The purified rubber is now collected
in large vats. Combined with acetic or formic acid, the rubber
particles cling together to form slabs. 3 Next, the slabs
are squeezed between rollers to remove excess water and pressed
into bales or blocks, usually 2 or 3 square feet (.6 or .9
square meter), ready for shipping to factories. The size of
the blocks depends on what the individual plantation can accommodate.
