A gas leak has claimed at least 11 lives and affected thousands of residents in five villages in Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh. The source of the leak was a styrene plant owned by South Korean electronics giant LG.

Styrene  is a flammable liquid that is used in the manufacturing of polystyrene plastics, fiberglass, rubber, and latex.

Its short-term exposure to the substance can result in respiratory problems, irritation in the eyes, irritation in the mucous membrane, and gastrointestinal issues. And long-term exposure could drastically affect the central nervous system and lead to other related problems like peripheral neuropathy. It could also lead to cancer and depression in some cases.Symptoms include headache, hearing loss, fatigue, weakness, difficulty in concentrating etc.

LEARNING WITH TIMES

Polystyrene harmful Effects on Environment, Human Health and Marine Life

Polystyrene is one of those materials that’s everywhere around us. Polystyrene is an inexpensive and hard plastic . Styrene is used to make polystyrene plastic and is a contaminant in all polystyrene foam packages.It takes at least 500 years to decompose.Polystyrene products are made with petroleum, a non-sustainable and heavily polluting resource.

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. Polystyrene food containers leach the toxin Styrene when they come into contact with warm food or drink, alcohol, oils and acidic foods causing human contamination and pose a health risk to people.

Burning polystyrene on bonfires releases Carbon Monoxide and styrene monomers into the environment, which can be extremely hazardous to our health.

When polystyrene travels down waterways and storm drains into the ocean, it breaks down into smaller, non- biodegradable pieces that are ingested by marine life and other wildlife thus harming or killing them.

A 1986 EPA report on solid waste named the polystyrene manufacturing process as the fifth largest creator of hazardous waste in the United States. In the product manufacturing process as well as the use and disposal of the products, energy consumption, greenhouse gas effect, and total environmental effect, polystyrene’s environmental impacts were second highest, behind aluminium, according to the California Integrated Waste Management Board.