Foam Cups and containers

What are they made of?

Most of the foam cups and containers are made of polystyrene, more specifically, styrene. Styrene is a monomer form of polystyrene. This material is not biodegradable and thus remains on the surface for the earth for years.

Where are they used?

	Polystyrene Food Containers and Related Applications	Non-Food Applications of Polystyrene
	coffee cups soup bowls and salad boxes foam egg cartons; produce & meat trays disposable utensils	packing "peanuts" foam inserts that cushion new appliances and electronics television and computer cabinets compact disc "jewel boxes" and audiocassette cases

Why the switch?

For your health!

The basic chemical component of the material (styrene) has the potential to leach into your food then into you. The migration of styrene from a polystyrene cup into the beverage it contains has been observed to be as high as 0.025% for a single use.

But if you drink beverages from polystyrene cups 4 times a day for 3 years, you may have consumed about one foam cup's worth of styrene along with your beverages

Research has shown that:

• The higher the fat content of the food in the polystyrene cups/container, the higher the migration into food.
• Some compounds found in beverages, like alcohol or the acids in "tea with lemon," may also raise the styrene migration rate.
• The meat you buy from the supermarket on a clear-plastic-wrapped polystyrene tray may also be picking up styrene from a foam container.
• Styrene migration also appears to be faster when the foods or drinks are hot.

Potential Health Issues

Studies suggest that styrene mimics estrogen in the body and can therefore disrupt normal hormone functions, possibly contributing to thyroid problems, menstrual irregularities, and other hormone-related problems, as well as breast cancer and prostate cancer.

Long-term exposure to small quantities of styrene is also suspected of causing:

• low platelet counts or hemoglobin values;
• chromosomal and lymphatic abnormalities;
• neurotoxic effects due to accumulation of styrene in the tissues of the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves, resulting in fatigue, nervousness, difficulty sleeping, and other acute or chronic health problems associated with the nervous system.

Environmental Issues

In our opinion, it's preferable to use washable dishware. The cost of the "real" cups, plates, and utensils plus the water use and energy use are part of the equation, but the pollution factor associated with polystyrene has to be given a lot of weight.

Initially, Styrofoam manufacturing required the use of ozone-depleting chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) to blow the styrene into its final hard foam form. Today, following the CFC ban that came with the Montreal Protocol on Ozone Depletion in 1989, carbon dioxide and pentane have been replaced as blowing agents. That switch may be sparing the ozone layer, but pentane is a highly flammable chemical that contributes to smog which is still detrimental to the environment.

Another problem with Styrofoam is that it does not biodegrade well and can leak toxins into the groundwater under our overstuffed landfills. Additionally, millions of tons of polystyrene get incinerated and end up as airborne toxic ash.

"Plastic pollution" is becoming a very, very big problem in the environment generally and in the ocean specifically. Reducing the amount of polystyrene trash in the environment is a good thing, period.

Then How?!

1. Use ceramic plates, bowls, and mugs/cups whenever possible. If you can't do that, choose paper over polystyrene. (You can always get one of the mugs which you have received as a Teacher’s Day gift J )
2. Item 1 applies especially if your food or beverage has medium to high fat content; contains alcohol or acidic substances; or is hot. On this last point, never microwave or heat food in polystyrene containers.
3. If a supermarket item came in polystyrene packaging, consider transferring it to a non-plastic container until you're ready to cook or eat it. Glass, ceramic, or porcelain containers, bowls or plates are preferable for food storage (so you don't get chemicals from plastic food containers). If you can choose food products that don't come in polystyrene containers in the first place, so much the better.
4. Buy food in glass containers when possible. For non-glass-packaged items, buy the larger sizes, where the surface contact between the contents to the container is reduced. (Buying in large sizes makes economic sense anyway, assuming you can use it all.)

 

References

http://www.grinningplanet.com/2008/04-08/foam-cups-polystyrene-cups-article.htm

http://www.newfrontier.com/asheville/earth-talk4.htm