CAP calls on the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Environment to ban the use of polystyrene material for use as food containers. This is in view of the health and environmental effects of polystyrene.

Studies have shown that polystyrene materials will leach out styrene, which is a cancer-causing agent.

In Malaysia, polystyrene foam containers are commonly used by hawkers for takeaways. In most instances hot and oily food is directly transferred to these containers. This enhances the ability of the cancer-causing material to leach into the food.

Polystyrene cups, bowls, plates, fork and spoons are also used in food courts and restaurants. Polystyrene which is usually referred to as No. 6 plastic is the third or fourth most commonly used, in millions of tons per year.

As it is cheaper than paper-based substitutes, polystyrene packing is often the choice of food manufacturers, the food service packaging sector, schools, hospitals and other institutions. Polystyrene packing comes in 2 forms – foam and solid. Foamed polystyrene is used to make Styrofoam food containers for takeaways and disposable cups, bowls and plates.

Solid polystyrene is used in products such as cutlery, yoghurt and cottage cheese containers. Polystyrene packaging can sometimes be identified by the number “6” surrounded by chasing arrows or letters “PS” usually moulded in the bottom of a food container.

Polystyrene packaging normally contain some residual styrene because the manufacturing process is not 100% efficient.

Chemicals from polystyrene can migrate into food when it is new (because they have not fully “polymerized” or become part of the plastic) and when it is old because it breaks down from heat, sun or wear.

The styrene migrated into food will end up in the body and eventually affect our health.

Styrene is classified by the World Health Organisation’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as a possible human carcinogen.

Styrene is also a mutagen (that is, it causes genetic changes). Mutagens in turn may have a cancer risk and may also potentially cause reproductive damage.

The production of polystyrene involves the use of benzene, a known human carcinogen that has been linked to leukaemia. Studies done in Britain found that polystyrene used in food contact plastics can have up to 80 parts per million of benzene.

Studies have shown that exposure to small quantities of styrene can cause low red blood cells count.

Women exposed to low concentrations of styrene vapours in the workplace have a variety of menstrual disorders.

In Malaysia cancer is the second biggest killer after road accidents. Every year an estimated 40,000 new cases are detected in the country.

According to the National Cancer Registry, 1 in 4 Malaysians can be expected to get cancer in his/her lifetime.

Eliminating styrene in the diet of Malaysian would help reduce cancer risks among Malaysians. The Government should impose a ban on the use of polystyrene material as food containers due to the following reasons:

• Polystyrene can threaten human health and our reproductive system as they leach out styrene into the food which is in contact with the plastic.
• It is made from petroleum, a non renewable and polluting commodity.
• It does not biodegrade. It only crumbles into fragments.
• When thrown in the environment it will persist indefinitely as litter and will choke waterways. It may also clog animal digestive systems.
• The bulky product takes up more space in landfills than does paper and may eventually re-enter the environment when landfills are breached.
• Foam recycling is a public relations stunt, promoted by the plastic industries. It is done in highly centralized facilities using complex chemical processes and expends more energy.

CAP also advises consumers to bring their own containers when they are purchasing food from hawkers as this will prevent them from being exposed to cancer-causing materials such as styrene from polystyrene food containers. Consumers Association of Penang (CAP)