More than 100 cities in the US and around the world have banned polystyrene (styrofoam) food packaging as a result of the negative impacts to humans and the environment.

Styrofoam is a petroleum-based plastic, made from expanded polystyrene foam.

It is non-sustainable, non-renewable, heavily polluting, and contains known carcinogens.

IARC has classified styrene as a Group 2B, possibly carcinogenic to humans.

• Polystyrene food containers leach styrene (an FDA recognized neurotoxin) when they come into contact with warm foods or drinks, alcohol, oils and acidic foods causing human contamination and posing a direct health risk to people.

• Acute (short-term) exposure to styrene in humans results in mucous membrane and eye irritation, and gastrointestinal effects.  A chronic (long-term) exposure to styrene in humans results in effects on the central nervous system (CNS), such as headaches, fatigue, weakness, and depression, CSN dysfunction, hearing loss, and peripheral neuropathy. 

• Styrene exposure is also linked to decreased concentration abilities. 
  Some studies also indicate that women exposed to styrene have an increased frequency of spontaneous abortions and decreased the frequency of births were reported in another study, indicating that styrene has a negative effect on our reproductive genes.

• Several epidemiologic studies suggest that there may be an association between styrene exposure and an increased risk of leukemia and lymphoma.  However, the evidence is inconclusive due to multiple chemical exposures and inadequate information on the levels and duration of exposure.

• EPA has named the polystyrene manufacturing as the fifth largest creator of hazardous waste in the United States.

• Manufacturing Styrofoam is very heavy on CO emissions, since it is petroleum-based and the process requires blowing ozone-depleting gases into the styrene to create Styrofoam.  
  
• Styrofoam is a disposable product, takes longer than any other plastic to break down in nature, and currently takes up 30% of the world's landfills.

• In nature, animals choke on Styrofoam, and Styrofoam has been found to be a major contributor to plastic in marine debris.

Green Minds LFLB recommends using reusable products as much as possible, which cuts back on waste and reduces our children’s exposure to toxic chemicals.

However, when reusable is not an option, we recommend that the least toxic products always be used: recycled paper, bamboo/banana leaf plates, and some corn-based plastics.

http://isites.harvard.edu/fs/docs/icb.topic967858.files/PolystyreneFactSheets.pdf

http://www.cleanwater.org/files/publications/ca/cwa_fact_sheet_polystyrene_litter_2011_03.pdf

http://www3.epa.gov/airtoxics/hlthef/styrene.html

http://saferchemicals.org/2014/05/26/styrene-and-styrofoam-101-2/

http://bluemenpachi.blogspot.com/2012/11/styrofoam-what-is-it-how-is-it-made-why.html

http://greenliving.lovetoknow.com/How_Styrofoam_is_Bad_for_the_Environment

http://progressillinois.com/quick-hits/content/2014/01/10/look-proposal-ban-plastic-foam-food-containers-chicago