NMA2050

It was a very interesting experience that met two very talent artists. They introduced how plastic effects people’s health, especially women’s health. Before, I usually thrown the plastic cans or cups to the trashcan, and never recycle them. However, when I exam the ingredient of plastic cups, I found they made from Polystyrene, “a synthetic aromatic polymer made from the monomer styrene, a liquid petrochemical. Polystyrene can be rigid or foamed. General purpose polystyrene is clear, hard and brittle.”(How stuff works). This material is widely used in our lives, for example protective packaging, containers, lids, bottles, trays, tumblers, and disposable cutlery.

Polystyrene is a non-biodegradable material. When people throw it the nature environment, it will take at least 500 years to decompose. When polystyrene is sent to the landfill, it is quickly covered and this process deprives it of water and oxygen, which would normally help it to break down.Much of the disposable packaging that we eat from today will therefore still be around in 500 years.  If the first settlers in Barbados in 1625 had been able to eat from polystyrene and the containers had been put into a landfill, the same containers would still be around today.

What happens when we use Polystyrene to contain hot food or drinks? Polystyrene contains the toxic substances Styrene and Benzene, suspected carcinogens and neurotoxins that are hazardous to humans. Hot foods and liquids actually start a partial breakdown of the Styrofoam, causing some toxins to be absorbed into our bloodstream and tissue.

So how can we do to help people away from polystyrene?

1. Be aware of the harmful of using polystyrene materials and tell others about the bad effects of polystyrene products.

2.Use reusable cups instead of foam cups.

3.When we shopping for groceries, select goods that are unwrapped or wrapped with non-polystyrene materials.