Foamed polystyrene is made from a bevy of petroleum-derived chemicals, many of which pose significant health risks to humans.

Polystyrene is produced from styrene, a known human neurotoxin and a known animal carcinogen. Factory workers who work with styrene have been documented to have suffered from a variety of neurological and hematological disorders. Not only is there styrene left over from its manufacturing, but styrene has been shown to leech out from EPS packaging under a variety of circumstances--most notably when in contact with an acidic solution (such as adding lemon to your tea) or when food containing vitamin A, which breaks down EPS, is microwaved.

For the past thirty years, scientists have become increasingly aware of the widespread presence of styrene in our bodies--it has been detected in our fat, in our blood, even in breastmilk! One obvious source of this styrene contamination is EPS food packaging.

Scientists are only beginning to understand the effects of human styrene contamination and subsequent studies will no doubt cast further questions on the safety of EPS food packaging.

Additional Resources:

• EPA Site on Styrene
• OSHA Web Resource on Styrene Exposure
• CDC Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry Styrene Factsheet
• Plastics and Human Health