Don’t Forget The Tiffin
For Christmas I got Chris this two-tiered tiffin from To-GoWare. It was one of those selfish gifts that was really for me too. If you’re not familiar with tiffin boxes, they originate in India. We keep ours in the back of the van and when we go out to eat we bring it with us to put our leftovers in. It even comes with a tiny little container for things like salsa and guacamole.
You ask, “so what’s wrong with Styrofoam?” Studies show 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. The estrogenicity of styrene is thought to be comparable to that of Bisphenol A (BPA), another potent estrogen mimic from the world of plastics.
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.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer lists styrene as a possible human carcinogen, though this conclusion is primarily based on studies of workers in styrene-related chemical plants. The Vallombrosa Consensus Statement on Environmental Contaminants and Human Fertility Compromise includes styrene on its list of contaminants of possible concern, noting that even weak estrogen mimics can combine with other such chemicals to have negative effects even when the chemicals are individually present at levels that would have no impact. On the positive side, a 2005 expert panel convened by the National Institutes of Health concluded that there is negligible concern for developmental toxicity in embryos and babies.
(Source: http://www.grinningplanet.com/2008/04-08/foam-cups-polystyrene-cups-article.htm)
So, no more styrofoam boxes (excuse me, polystyrene) for us. Now, if I had just gotten the 3-tired one . . .
Filed under: Conservation, Green Living on February 27th, 2010
Everyday exposure to styrene has not been proven to be harmful; no authoritative or regulatory body anywhere in the world considers styrene to be a known cause of human cancer. In fact, polystyrene food-service containers and utensils have been used safely for more than 50 years. They have been tested extensively and deemed safe by reputable government agencies. Moreover, styrene it is not an endocrine disruptor. The National Toxicology Program determined that styrene is of “negligible concern” for effects on human development and reproduction in 2006. Long-term health data has also indicated that workers exposed to relatively high levels of styrene show inconsistent, null, or negative findings linking styrene to serious health effects.
Priscilla Briones for the Styrene Information and Research Center (SIRC), Arlington, Virginia. SIRC (www.styrene.org) is a trade association that represents interests of the North American styrene industry with its mission being the collection, development, analysis and communication of pertinent information on styrene.
Yea. They pretty much said the same thing about cigarettes for years. They changed that one, didn’t they? The bigger issue is the waste, not the “possibility” of styrene being a human carcinogen.