MU's Frederick vom Saal Wants FDA to Ban BPA, Endocrine Disruptors; Simina Mistreanu; The Columbia Missourian; http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2012/01/31/mus-frederick-vom-saal-wants-fda-ban-bpa-endocrine-disruptors/; January 31, 2012. The Dangers Of Polystyrene Many people are not aware of the harmful effects of Polystyrene. Be the first to know about new products, educational articles, and exclusive offers for email subscribers only. Moore, G.Ll Lattin, and A.F. Zellers; Journal of Integrated Costal Zone Management; www.algalita.org/uploads/Urban_River_Debris.pdf; November 23, 2010. Help animals, do not use Styrofoam. Use and Disposal of Polystyrene in California: A Report to the California Legislature; California Integrated Waste Management Board; http://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/Publications/Detail.aspx?PublicationID=1011; December 2004. ToxFAQs™ for Vinyl Chloride; Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Centers for Disease Control; http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaqs/tf.asp?id=281&tid=51; July 2006. Exposure to Bisphenol A and Other Phenols in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Premature Infants, Environmental Health Perspectives, http://www.ehponline.org/docs/2008/0800265/abstract.html, 2009. © 2019 www.azcentral.com. This article reviews whether you can microwave styrofoam, if doing so is safe, and precautions you can take. Diseases Caused by Soil Pollution; Causes of Lung Scarring; Share on Facebook; More commonly known as Styrofoam, polystyrene is a petroleum based plastic commonly used for crafts, packing and insulation. Polystyrene foam's light weight and insulation properties also make it a favorite choice for cups, plates and bowls at family picnics. Reducing our use of polystyrene reduces the many health and environmental risks associated with this dangerous product. From on-the-go coffee to take-out meals, many products come in polystyrene containers. When microwaving, always use containers that are labeled safe for such use. Chronic exposure to the chemicals used in Styrofoam can also result in cancer, as a number of chemicals released by Styrofoam through heating are known carcinogens, such as hydrocarbons, benzene and styrene. Plastic Debris in the World’s Oceans; Michelle Allsopp, Adma Walters, David Santillo, and Paul Johnston; Greenpeace; http://www.unep.org/regionalseas/marinelitter/publications/default.asp; 2006. Here's an….
Its quality is only adequate to use as filler in other plastics, which then, in turn, become virtually impossible to recycle.19, Due to these barriers to recycling polystyrene, its ubiquitous presence in disposable packaging, and its tendency to drift away on currents of wind and water, it has become an abundant form of plastic pollution on land and in waterways. Polystyrene, also known as Styrofoam, poses a great danger to landfills. © 2004–2020 WorldCentric.com - All Rights Reserved. Toxic Substances Portal: Toxicological Profiles; Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Centers for Disease Control; http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/index.asp; retrieved July 12, 2012.
There is a lot of controversy surrounding microwave ovens.
and Karasek, F.W.
Those that are recycled can be remanufactured into things like cafeteria trays or packing filler. Please check with local officials. Toxic Substances Portal: Toxicological Profiles; Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Centers for Disease Control; http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/index.asp; retrieved July 12, 2012.
© 2005-2020 Healthline Media a Red Ventures Company. From a health perspective, they contain a compound called styrene, which has raised some concern, as it has been linked to cancers in animal and human studies (7). Polyethylene Terephthalate May Yield Endocrine Disruptors; Leonard Sax; Environmental Health Perspectives; http://ehp03.niehs.nih.gov/article/fetchArticle.action?articleURI=info%3Adoi%2F10.1289%2Fehp.0901253; November 25, 2009. Moore, G.Ll Lattin, and A.F. Recycling Styrofoam; All Recycling Facts; http://www.all-recycling-facts.com/recycling-styrofoam.html; Retrieved 9/3/12. Conversely, avoid putting polystyrene containers without microwave-safe labels in the microwave.
While used for beverage cups and food containers, Styrofoam poses a number of health risks to …
Healthline Media does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Zellers; Journal of Integrated Costal Zone Management; www.algalita.org/uploads/Urban_River_Debris.pdf; November 23, 2010. More commonly known as Styrofoam, polystyrene is a petroleum based plastic commonly used for crafts, packing and insulation. On the other hand, avoid microwaving food in polystyrene containers that are not labeled as microwave safe, as their safety is not assured.
Mapping Plastic Pollution; Algalita Marine Research Institute; http://www.algalita.org/research/Maps_Home.html; Retrieved February 17, 2012 MU's Frederick vom Saal Wants FDA to Ban BPA, Endocrine Disruptors; Simina Mistreanu; The Columbia Missourian; http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2012/01/31/mus-frederick-vom-saal-wants-fda-ban-bpa-endocrine-disruptors/; January 31, 2012. ; Journal of Chromatography, #315; Amsterdam, The Netherlands; http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S002196730190737X; 1984.
PVC: The Most Toxic Plastic; Children’s Health Environmental Coalition; http://www.cehn.org/search/node/pvc%20-%20the%20most%20toxic%20plastic; Retrieved 7/30/12. Also, animals may mistake them for food and eat them (3, 5, 6). Microwaves are a household staple, but some people question their safety. While HCFC is less damaging to the Earth’s ozone layer than CFC, it is still an ozone destroyer, and it contributes to the destruction of this critical component of the Earth’s ecosystem.15, After it has been used, polystyrene food packaging is typically not “clean” enough to be recycled, and only 1.3% of total polystyrene was recycled in the US in 2015.16 Even when it is clean enough to recycle, only about 5% of the volume of Styrofoam is actually polystyrene, and the rest is air, making Styrofoam uneconomical to collect and store for recycling.17 In rare instances, manufacturers who handle large amounts of polystyrene will consolidate their scrap materials with compactors (compressing them to less than a tenth of their original volume), and then will sell the compacted blocks of polystyrene to recyclers.18 However, the polystyrene in these blocks cannot be recovered for use in new polystyrene products. National Human Adipose Tissue Survey; United States Environmental Protection Agency; http://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/cfm/recordisplay.cfm?deid=55204; Retrieved 3/30/12. Exposure to these chemicals in Styrofoam can affect the central nervous system, resulting in symptoms such as headache, fatigue, depression and weakness.