Index to the entire Overcoming Consumerism website

This file contains information to help community activists, students or YOU persuade merchants to stop using Styrofoam(polystyrene) hot drink cups, food containers and packing material. The information here is designed both to educate you and to be printed for dissemination to people who have no access to the internet.

http://www.mindfully.org/Plastic/plastic.htm Or http://www.mindfully.org/Plastic/6th-Basic-Food-Group.htm You can learn about all plastics at this site:

March, 2011. OUR LOCAL STYROFOAM CUP AND PLATE PLANT IS CLOSING! Wincup, in Corte Madera, California is closing and "consolidating it's operations to Arizona."Coincidentally, the Marin County Supervisors have outlawed the use of styrofoam take out containers in unincorporated Marin County. UPDATE: June 10,2011 The U.S. GOVERNMENT HAS FINALLY ADDED STYRENE, THE CHEMICAL FOUND AND RELEASED FROM STYROFOAM PRODUCTS SUCH AS TO-GO CONTAINERS AND CUPS TO BE "Two New 'Known Human Carcinogens". http://abcnews.go.com/US/styrofoam-chemical-styrene-added-possible-carcinogens-list/story?id=13815600 You still want to pour some boiling water into or microwave your cup of noodles in that styrofoam container? Yummy! Tumors to go.

The Myth of recyclability:http://www.ecologycenter.org/iptf/recycling/PSrecycle.html

Recycling of Polystyrene

Please note that due to present economic conditions, polystyrene food service packaging is generally not recycled. Polystyrene protective packaging and non-packaging non-durables (i.e., video/audio cassettes, agriculture trays, etc.) are the primary forms of polystyrene collected for recycling. There has been a decrease in the amount of polystyrene food service packaging recycled during this period. Non-food service packaging is not contaminated with food and other wastes as is food service polystyrene packaging, and therefore is more cost-effective to recycle. Presently, food service polystyrene packaging is not recycled because it is not economically sustainable. It is important to note that because of unfavorable economics, no other post-consumer foodservice disposable material, including paper and paperboard, is recycled in a measurable way.

A. REASONS WHY POLYSTYRENE FOAM IS BAD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND HUMAN HEALTH.

1. Toxic chemicals leach out of these products into the food that they contain. These chemicals threaten human health and reproductive systems.

2. These products are made with petroleum, a non-sustainable, heavily polluting and disappearing commodity.

3. The product does not biodegrade. It crumbles into fragments that have no expiration date.

3. A certain percentage of product will be dumped in the environment, persisting on land indefinitely as litter and breaking up into pieces that choke and clog animal digestive systems in waterways.

4. The product takes up more space in landfills than does paper and eventually will re-enter the environment when landfills are breached by water or mechanical forces.

5. Foam recycling is a public relations stunt, promoted by the chemical industries that manufacture it. This is done in highly centralized, distant facilities using complex chemical processes and expends far more energy than is ever saved by recycling the material.

B. UNBLEACHED PAPER BIODEGRADES AND ITS USE AVOIDS ALL OF THE ABOVE PROBLEMS.
There is a growing number of alternate containers and products available that are made with unbleached paper, a far more environmentally benign material that is made with recycled sustainable materials.

1. Bleaching paper creates chemical pollutants and uses more energy. UNbleached paper is as close to environmentally benign as can be achieved in a non-reusable product. Yes it's still not perfect. If you want perfection make a cup out of your hands.

2. Recycled paper is an easily renewable resource.

3. Paper dissolves and biodegrades in the environment.

4. Paper products can be recycled at most people's doorstep where community recycling is in place.

Before getting to the substantiation and technical details of the above statements, keep in mind that you may have to persuade people who know far less than you do about such things. It is important to use the appropriate motivators and level of language, depending on whom you are speaking with.

For example, how does one approach the immigrant owner of a delicatessen who barely speaks English and needs to save pennies wherever possible? Overwhelming him with words like biodegradability and sustainability may get you a blank stare. When dealing with this situation formulate a persuasive strategy that will work. For example, indicate that he will get much more business through word of mouth among people that think such things are important. Beware of dumbing down people in your mind, however---the deli owner may well have a PhD in chemistry.

C. DETAILS: **"Toxic chemicals leach out of these products into the food that they contain. These chemicals threaten human health and reproductive systems..."

Adverse Health Effects of Plastics

http://www.mindfully.org/Plastic/Plasticizers/Out-Of-Diet-PG5nov03.htm

A recent book Our Stolen Future by Dr. Theo Colborn, describes this problem in full detail. Although written for the layman, it is completely footnoted and provides ongoing references for further inquiry.

Here's a short talk she gave on the problem: http://www.pmac.net/theo2.htm

Rachel's Environmental and Health Weekly article on Our Stolen Future

Consumers Research magazine article on the dangers of heated plastics

FURTHER RESOURCES FOR YOUR KNOWLEDGE.

General article about plastic and pollution from Rachel's

Women's cosmetics: hidden dangers-find out there

http://www.nottoopretty.org/

Intro to Plastics An excellent plastics-industry sponsored educational site about the chemistry and structure of plastics.