Jan 23rd 2024
Can Disposable Cups Cause Cancer?
. . . formaldehyde and styrene join the government's list of known or suspected carcinogens
Plastic and Styrofoam cups and containers aren't just bad for the environment -- they're bad for us. A new report from the National Toxicology Program of the US Dept. of Health and Human Services has named two chemicals commonly found in such containers, formaldehyde and styrene, as known or suspected carcinogens.
As you might expect, the chemical industry as well as the American Cancer Society urged the public not to worry about "insignificant" exposures to these chemicals from cups and containers. What such advice always ignores is that we're being bombarded with chemicals at every turn. A little bit here, a little bit there . . . it all adds up to a significant problem. Avoid foods and beverages in plastic containers.
National Toxicology Program, Public Health Service, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Report on Carcinogens, 12th Edition, 2011.