It's Official: Styrene "May Cause Cancer" - Help the MVCC Ban it -This Tuesday Night

The New York Times reports that the National Toxicology Program (NTP) finally released its findings that styrene -- a major component in polystyrene, aka, Styrofoam -- "may cause cancer" and listed it as a carcinogen, a designation the chemical industry delayed for years with intense lobbying efforts.  A comparison of the Times article to this article from May 19th, 2011, announcing the possible results, suggests those efforts may have, in fact, led to the report's language being watered down.   

The Times article says that: "Studies of workers exposed to high levels of styrene have found increased risks of leukemia and lymphoma and genetic damage to white blood cells. There is also some evidence that styrene increases the risks of cancer of the pancreas and esophagus among styrene workers, the report found. Consumers can be exposed to styrene from the fumes of building materials, photocopiers and tobacco smoke."  

Gail Bateson, Executive Director of Worksafe, an Oakland-based social justice organization dedicated to eliminating all types of workplace hazards, elaborates in her own letter of support for SB-568, “U.S. EPA scientists found Styrene in 100% of all human tissue samples in a 1986 study.  As is so often the case, these dangers to the general population are even more acute for the workers who must deal with the substance most directly and most often.”

Those of us in California have the fortuitous opportunity to help reduce consumer exposure to this carcinogen by calling for the State Assembly to support a bill banning the use of polystyrene in food containers.   SB-568 (Lowenthal) was approved by the State Senate two weeks ago.  Mar Vista's own State Senator Ted Lieu voted to support the bill.

Mar Vistans get a chance to weigh in on SB-568, as the Mar Vista Community Council decides Tuesday night, June 14th, whether to send a letter of support for the measure which will also, according to a West Los Angeles Neighborhood Council letter of support, save cities millions, “The costs incurred to deal with polystyrene litter and waste clean-up are significant. This is especially true of Southern California communities with impaired waterways… cities have spent in excess of $1.7 billion removing trash from our storm drain systems."  

Clean Water Action has done a study on pricing and found that alternative containers are available at similar prices, so small restaurants should not be negatively impacted by SB-568.  Bateson's letter says that: "Of the 47 California jurisdictions that have enacted bans on polystyrene food ware, none have reported that any local businesses have closed up shop as a result. Most local ordinances have options for local businesses to make a claim of economic hardship, and none have exercised this option.  Demetrios Mavromichalis, owner of two local restaurants, The Venice Grind and The Wood Cafe, gave his support for SB-568. 

Indeed, economic hardship may come FROM polystyrene waste, as evidenced by this report from the APEC Marine Resources Conservation Working Group, which says that, “Increasing levels of debris in the world’s seas and oceans is having a major economic impact.  In 2008, marine debris was estimated to have directly cost the 21 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) member economies approximately $1.265 billion."

For those who would like to take action themselves, Environment California provides a place to click to contact your local Assemblymember and ask them to support SB-568.