WE use styrofoam on a daily basis, particularly for packaging of take-away food. It is so common that people
assume that it is safe. However, many studies have been conducted and reports published on the negative impact of styrofoam, both on health as well as the environment. Still, most Malaysians are not fully aware of the seriousness of it. As such, it is about time to raise the awareness and have the people making their own informed choice. We need to completely ban styrofoam, which is known as a ‘silent killer’.
One could only imagine the amount of polystyrene food and drink containers used – and thrown away – by Malaysians every year. Many are still not fully aware of the serious health risks posed by the usage of styrofoam.
What is styrofoam?
It is actually a polystyrene foam, the type used in packaging of products like take-away containers and supermarket meat trays. It is created by injecting plastic polymer (polystyrene) with gases such as HCFC 22, CFC 11, or CFC 12 – all ozone-destroying chlorofluorocarbons – or pentane to expand it into a puffy material. Toxic and hazardous chemicals, including styrene, benzene and ethylene, are also used to make polystyrene foam.
How does styrene migrate into food?
A 1988 survey by the Foundation for Advancements in Science and Education also found styrene in human fatty tissue, with a frequency of 100 per cent at levels from eight to 350 nanograms/gram(Ng/g). The 350Ng/g level is one-third of levels known to cause neurotoxic symptoms. Styrofoam drinking leach it into the liquids they contain. The cups apparently lose weight during the time they are in use. The migration of styrene from a polystyrene cup containing cold or hot beverage, has been observed to be as high as 0.025 per cent in a single usage – which may seem rather low but if you drink water, tea or coffee from polystyrene cups four times a day for three years, you may have consumed about a cupful worth of styrene.
Studies have also found that styrene tends to migrate more quickly when the food or drinks are hot, actually triggering the partial breakdown of the Styrofoam and as a result, causing toxins to be absorbed into our bloodstream and tissue through the food intake. Likewise, supermarket meat or cheese packaged in clear plastic-wrapped polystyrene tray may readily be picking up styrene from the foam container.
Styrene is soluble in oil and fat. The higher the fat content of the food, the higher the migration level of styrene into the food. Entrees, soups or beverages that are higher in fat, like coffee with milk and fried noodles, will suck more of the styrene out the polystyrene container.
Acids also raise the styrene migration rate. Studies have shown that tea with lemon produces the most marked change in the weight of the foam cup.
Styrene is soluble in ethanol, commonly found in alcoholic beverages. For instance, red wine will instantly dissolve styrene.
Most interesting is the degradation of food that contains vitamin A (betacarotene). In packaged foods with the addition of heat (microwave temperature), vitamin A will decompose and produce m-xylene, toluene and 2.6 dimethylnaphthalene. Toluene will aggressively dissolve polystyrene, rendering it as an unsuitable package for storing or microwaving products that contain vitamin A.
Effect of styrene to human health
The fact that styrene can adversely affect humans in a number of ways raises serious public health and safety questions, regarding its build-up in human tissues. Once styrene gets into your food or drink – and then into you – it mimics the oestrogen in the body and disrupts normal hormone functions, possibly contributing to thyroid problems, irregularities in menstruation and other hormone-related problems, as well as breast and prostate
cancers. The oestrogenicity of styrene is thought to be comparable to that of Bisphenol A (another potent oestrogen mimic from the world of plastics, like plastic bottles). Low levels of Bisphenol A have been found to reduce the sperm count in rats. Evidence published by the World Health Organisation (WHO)’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) shows that styrene causes cancer in animals.
According to a Foundation for Achievements in Science and Education, long-term exposure to small quantities of styrene can cause low platelet counts (or haemoglobin values), chromosomal and lymphatic abnormalities, as well as neurotoxic effects due to accumulation of styrene in the tissues of the brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerves; resulting in fatigue, nervousness, difficulty in sleeping, and other acute complications associated with the nervous system. Styrene is classified as a possible human carcinogen by US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the IARC.
Effect on global warming
A 1986 EPA report on solid waste named polystyrene manufacturing process as the fifth largest creator of hazardous waste in the US. The chemical involved in production of polystyrene foam are among the top 25 toxic air pollutants in terms of the total amount released into the environment each year. The scientists indicate that five per cent of the earth’s ozone layer has already been damaged due to ozone destroying compound like chlorofluorocarbons (CFC). The use of hydrocarbons in polystyrene foam manufacturing releases the hydrocarbons into the air at ground level. This, combined with nitrogen oxides in the presence of sunlight, forms tropospheric ozone – a serious air pollution occurring at ground level.
Nowadays, many manufacturers label their polystyrene foam containers being CFC-free as it has been replaced with hydro CFC (HCFC), which is less damaging to the ozone layer. Still, HCFC is still damaging. In fact, according to a 1992 study by the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research, HCFC is three to five times more destructive to the ozone layer than previously believed.
Effect on landfill and environment
When polystyrene is sent to the landfill, it is quickly covered which deprives it of water and oxygen – the agents that would normally help it to break down. By volume, the amount of space in landfills used up by all plastics is between 25 to 35 per cent. Moreover, plastic polymers never undergo full biodegradation. A recent study revealed that 630,000 polystyrene food and drink containers were used in Selangor, whereas in Penang, the total was 347,000. This data was acquired over two days of a festival, deriving from waste generated from numerous stalls. At times, these stalls provided up to 40,000 polystyrene food and drink packages. The data, however, did not include polystyrene packages usage in other states such as Kedah, Johor, Sarawak or Perak.
Just going by these figures, one could only imagine the amount of polystyrene food and drink containers used – and thrown away – by Malaysians every year. Polystyrene packs are not biodegradable – not only they float on water but because of them being lightweight, they can also be flown everywhere by the wind; thereby polluting the shores and waterways.
What can we do?
1. Be aware of the harmful effects of using polystyrene products and inform others about it as well.
2.Use reusable cups or disposable paper cups, instead of foam cups.
3. When shopping for groceries like vegetables, eggs and meat, select items that are wrapped in non-polystyrene materials.
4. Ask local take-away restaurants and food suppliers to use more environmentally-friendly forms of packaging such as paper or corn-based polymers.
5. Bring your own containers (Tupperwares) for packed meals or take-aways.
Conclusion
Based on numerous analyses, it is certain that the styrene in styrofoam packs poses a real health risk, although the effects cannot be seen immediately. Just like arsenic, styrene can lethally poison a person over a long period of time. Bit by bit, it accumulates in the body – the affected person may not even know the real cause of his or her deteriorating health. Many countries have begun to protest against the use of Styrofoam, with some already banning it. Therefore, it is time for us to choose health.
Article by Dr Tiwi Kamidi (Teachers Training Institute Batu Lintang Campus), as partner of 2014 Green
X-Exchange Youth Programme.
The Youth Green X-Change is a programme by Natural Resources and Environment Board Sarawak, Angkatan Zaman Mansang Sarawak, World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Malaysia, Sarawak Environment Department, Sarawak Forestry Corporation, Teachers Education Institute–Batu Lintang Campus, Trienekens (Sarawak) Sdn Bhd, Sarawak Energy Bhd and ZHA Environmental Sdn Bhd.