Styrofoam Safety

Styrofoam is the foundation of packing peanuts.

Lightweight and cheap to produce, Styrofoam is a staple in the shipping industry. It's also being used more widely in conjunction with our food: in addition to disposable plates and bowls, Styrofoam often used to store food itself, as the material is microwavable without fear of melting. But a growing number of safety concerns is leading consumers to question whether Styrofoam can be safely used as broadly as it is today.

History

Dow Chemical invented Styrofoam in 1941. The company took polystyrene plastics, already a lightweight material, and created a foam from it, which was dubbed Styrofoam. Initially, the material was heralded as a miracle: lightweight and sturdy at the same time, and resistant to water and heat. The first order came from the U.S. Navy, which made a Styrofoam life raft.

Uses

Styrofoam started its use as a shipping and construction material but gradually became used in the food world as well. Today, people use Styrofoam containers to house and heat foods like soup and coffee and are the typical choice for carry-out containers. Styrofoam often serves as padding for fruits and vegetables during shipping as well.

Health Concerns

The main concern from the use of Styrofoam is styrene migration, where plastic compounds leak from the material into the food contained inside. The amount of styrene migration in any one use of Styrofoam is miniscule; however, if the compound is used daily, it is thought exposure could add up to dangerous levels. Content with higher fat, alcohol or acid content increases the amount of migration. In addition, workers who produce styrene plastics for use in Styrofoam have sometimes received dangerous amounts of exposure.

Effects

Styrene is also considered a carcinogen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Consistent or prolonged exposure increases the risk of skin, lung and eye irritation, or more seriously, depression, headaches or chronic weakness.

Environmental Impact

Styrofoam isn't a safe choice for the environment either. It's non-biodegradable, which means it will live in landfills long after its been thrown away. In addition, it isn't typically recyclable, as recycling providers cannot make much money with the virtually massless material. The production process of Styrofoam is destructive as well, as plastics are petroleum-based and release harmful compounds called hydrocarbons into the air, which can threaten the ozone layer.

References

• Dow Chemical: Invention of Styrofoam
• Green Living: How Styrofoam is Bad for the Environmetn
• Grinning Planet: Food Cups/Containers