My Science School

           Several man-made substances are carcinogenic, that is, capable of causing cancer to both humans and other animals. Polystyrene is one such material. It is usually used to make food containers, disposable plastic spoons and CD cases.

           To produce polystyrene, we use benzene and styrene. Benzene is a known cancer causing agent while styrene is a probable carcinogen. Scientists, after various lab experiments found out that carbon tetrachloride used in its production are capable of causing cancer to animals.

           Labourers who work in polystyrene production plants are often at increased risk of cancer. Workers subjected to prolonged exposure develop acute liver and kidney failure. Low levels of exposure can also cause dizziness, irritation to eyes, nose and even throat. Also, when you use stirrers and spoons made of polystyrene, styrene migrates out of the stirrer to your drinks like coffee and tea.

Picture Credit : Google

           Where do all your chocolate wrappers go? The waste basket of course. But where do you empty your waste basket? Maybe dump yards, or maybe we don’t know.

           We use a range of products made of different polymers- your notebooks, pencil boxes, water bottles, schoolbags, food packagings, the wrappers of all your belongings and so on. All these have become an inevitable part of our lives. After use, it becomes waste which we finally throw away. The environment cannot handle all the waste that we produce. Most of these wastes harm the earth we live in.

           All polymers except biodegradable ones are not eco-friendly. The non-biodegradable polymers cause trouble to the smooth functioning of our planet. All of you know at least some harmful effects of plastics. Let us now look at how some polymers affect us.

Picture Credit : Google