Proposition 65. The California Health and Safety Code Section 25249.5 ET SEQ states that “detectable amounts of chemicals or substances known to the state of California to cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm may be found in chemical products, petroleum products, paint and other vapors”. Prop 65, for short, requires the state of California to maintain and update a list of chemicals known to cause cancer or reproductive toxicity; the list has grown to include approximately 800 chemicals since it was first published in 1987.
During our recent trip to the EPS EXPO, we were made aware that a notice of intent had been issued to list styrene as a cancer causing agent. Today we are here to report the facts in hopes that our users will be given enough information to allow them to make an educated decision on whether they agree or disagree with the proposition.
So, why do we care so much? Styrene (typically used as a compound in resins and plastics) is widely used in plastic foam products. While this controversial topic has many studies that argue both for and against styrene being a potentially cancer causing agent, there is no study that confirms a correlation between styrene and cancer among humans. In fact most people are exposed to small amounts of styrene in their everyday lives through tobacco smoke, common foods like strawberries and coffee, as well as air molecules.
As you can see, styrene has already withheld its position that concludes there is no evidence supporting styrene as a carcinogen. We, as an industry, are committed to an environmentally friendly and sustainable product; please visit our recommended resource for styrene consumers, employees and communities at: http://youknowstyrene.org/.
