How would you feel if you knew you were ingesting a chemical that is toxic to the environment and potentially harmful to your health? Unfazed? Nonchalant? What if I told you that this was the case anytime you reached out to JuiceBlendz to buy a delicious smoothie? It’s not the fruity ingredients that pose the threat; it’s the item holding those ingredients: the Styrofoam cup.
The controversy over the use of Styrofoam cups is widespread. Advocates who support banning them challenge their position as an environmental hazard and an unhealthy substance, whereas critics insist that there is not enough evidence to justify their write-off.
But before you make a decision, there are a few things you should know.
Styrofoam is the trademark name that was developed by the Dow Chemical Company to refer to foamed polystyrene. In turn, foamed polystyrene is made from a synthetic chemical called styrene. For foamed polystyrene to be produced, it must first be heated, which unleashes chemicals that have the ability to leak into the beverage or food in the container. This is the reason reheating drinks or food in a Styrofoam cup is often discouraged.
However, numerous companies use foamed polystyrene because it’s a good insulator and cheap to manufacture. They conveniently turn a blind eye toward troubling side effects. According to the Occupational Safety and
Health Administration, an average of 90,000 workers are exposed to styrene when they manufacture products, such as boats. In turn, the constant inhalation of the small styrene fibers has led to “complaints of headache, fatigue…and a feeling of intoxication.”
So, if it’s not safe for factory workers to be exposed to styrene, then how is it safe for us to drink from it? But, these questions don’t keep company executives awake at night, especially because there’s not enough evidence yet to support the claim that styrene is a carcinogenic substance.
In 2011, the National Toxicology Program, within the National Institute of Health, reported a study in which mice developed lung tumors as a result of exposure to styrene. The study also suggests that styrene can increase the risk of leukemia. However, the Environmental Protection Agency has not officially classified styrene as a human carcinogen, citing “inconclusive” evidence.
Despite this oscillating back and forth on the health issues, one thing is for certain: foamed polystyrene cups are hazardous waste in the environment. With numerous blue bins spotted around campus, there is always an opportunity to recycle, but where do you dispose of Styrofoam cups? When flung into the trash can, it travels to a landfill, where it sits for a long period of time; and when littered, it becomes a serious environmental problem since it’s not fully biodegradable.
Save Our Shores, a grassroots organization based in Santa Cruz, Calif., called foamed polystyrene the “most abundant type” of litter, after cigarettes. As a result, it has become a threat to the picturesque view of the clean beach and the beautiful ocean.
It is also harmful to wildlife. Since foamed polystyrene cannot by recycled, the only alternative is for it to disintegrate into small white chunks of foam that are large enough to be seen, but small enough to “choke animals and clog their digestive systems,” as said by the Earth Resource Foundation.
If companies knew this, would they continue to use foamed polystyrene cups? Would JuiceBlendz, the “perfect blend of taste and health,” support this? Ironically, the contents of the drinks are wholesome and as healthy as could be for busy college students. So, why counteract something good with something bad?
Like any other consumer, I would like to be able to enjoy a smoothie with peace of mind. I shouldn’t have to worry about what I’m drinking it from or whether I’m getting the added bonus of drinking bits of styrene in a strawberry and banana smoothie. Recycled paper, sugar cane and bamboo cups are just a few of the replacements that are easily obtainable for JuiceBlendz. They won’t take away from the flavor of the smoothie or crumble in your hands when you’re halfway through the drink, so why not use them?
In December 2013, the New York City Council passed a ban on foamed polystyrene cups, food containers and packing peanuts, which will take effect on July 1, 2015. They’re not the only ones. Seattle, San Francisco and Portland, Ore. are just a few of the cities that have put a lid on foamed polystyrene products. Many companies have also begun to phase it out. JuiceBlendz should, too.
