Styrene and Formaldehyde May Cause Cancer

A lot of Styrene and Formaldehyde are in day to day use. Let us be careful about use of these compounds.

 National Institute of Health
Amplify’d from www.nytimes.com

WASHINGTON — The government added styrene and seven other chemicals to its list of possible human carcinogens in a report delayed for years because of fierce lobbying from manufacturers. Styrene is found in foam coffee cups, food containers and building materials.

The report also strengthened the warning on formaldehyde, saying it was known to cause some kinds of leukemia. Formaldehyde is found in plywood, pressboard and even some hair treatments. Much of the research underlying these warnings comes from industrial settings, where workers are exposed to large amounts of these chemicals. The amount of styrene found in a coffee cup, by contrast, is very small.

Styrene, an important component of polystyrene, is used primarily in the manufacture of plastic packaging, thermal insulation in buildings, and disposable cups and food containers. It is also an important component of fiberglass and is found in boats, shower stalls and carpet backing.

The warnings are part of the Report on Carcinogens put together by the National Toxicology Program, part of the National Institutes of Health. It is the 12th such report. The reports were originally envisioned to be put out annually, but the 11th report was published in 2005, and controversy surrounding the newest report delayed its release for years. Read more at www.nytimes.com

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