Eating From Foam Food Containers Is Risky Business: Thailand

[jocko]

Sytrofoam containers contain the chemical styrene, which has a molecular structure similar to estrogen hormone in females

What you trying to say doc? That eating from a styrofoam pack, can turn a give a man a dose of feminine hormone. What an accusation, if that were the case, Thailand would have a disproportionately large amount of men who want to be or act like women.

Can't possibly be the case.

If any ladyboy's read this article they will eat the package and throw away the food

[TechnikaIII]

Well this is old news to me. In 1969 I learnt of the hazards of styrene and other plastics when in contact with food.

And try this one for size:

After the mysterious collapse of some workers cutting polystyrene foam with hot wire (at a factory in the UK), it was by deduction discovered that those who were smoking who were knocked out on the spot, whilst others nearby the cutters and in the smoke filled workplace were just feeling sick. I was working in the display department at a menswear retail store in Melbourne, and one evening attended a lecture at the Melbourne Sculptors Society - the subject "Hazardous Materials in the Studio". It was at this lecture I learnt the following: The cigarette smoke, inhaled with the styrene smoke, combined to make Phosgene, the infamous 1st World War gas used against soldiers in the trenches.

I tried to warn the others about the smoking thing, but smokers are a breed unto themselves. Smoke in the workplace was common, and I had to put up with nuasia, or quit. I eventually quit.

As for the plastic bag thing, and hot food, I got into the routine of taking my own food containers to the market when I was buying hot foods, such as curry etc. If buying on the spur of the moment, I get it home as quickly as possible, and out of the plastic bag into other containers.

[BradWilkins]

Ihere is a multitude of science supporting how bad styrofoam and some plastics are when heated. A lot of the science studies saying it is ok is probably paid for by the huge world plastic produceing industries who dont want to lose business. Its a smokescreen like the ones produced by the tobacco industry.

You mean like this???

[lucjoker]

Can you imagine Thailand without plastic bags??? This country has a long, dare I say it, addiction to foam containers and plastic bags. Even dangerous chemicals are discarded without thought and are generally treated with an unusual disrespect.

Here, as in many other less developed countries, we are all slowly poisoning ourselves whether it be from bad food containers or the government turning the other cheek to industry burning, dumping, polluting blah, blah ..... it goes on and on .....

You want a take out? Take a reseal-able plastic box! Don't forget to wear your gas mask and NBC suit en route to the restaurant too!!! LOL

is it out of lazyness that people go to these "restaurants"?

Or is it so increddible difficult to cook these "specialties" in your home kitchen ?

The only thing i would ever buy from a "restaurant on wheels" is a banana-pancake .......a trained thai needs 20 minutes to make one ! Must be verry

difficult?You have to go and watch it some day ,the give the impression of moving verry quickly........but it takes ages !

Or am i hit by the brain-fog ?

[BradWilkins]

Ihere is a multitude of science supporting how bad styrofoam and some plastics are when heated. A lot of the science studies saying it is ok is probably paid for by the huge world plastic produceing industries who dont want to lose business. Its a smokescreen like the ones produced by the tobacco industry.

You mean like this???

this ones all class

[sirchai]

Most of the bargirls in Pattaya eat food from plastic and styrofoam containers and it doesn't seem to affect their horemoans.

But it seems to affect their Moronmoans. .

[BradWilkins]

Not sure how much this has to do with smokeing

[h90]

Sytrofoam containers contain the chemical styrene, which has a molecular structure similar to estrogen hormone in females, Dr. Weerachat said.

Well, this explains the man boobs. Huh! I was afraid I was becoming old and fat farang.

No we can continue with out 6 beers per day....our boobs come from the Styrofoam....

[MuuDaeng]

That eating from a styrofoam pack, can turn a give a man a dose of feminine hormone. What an accusation, if that were the case, Thailand would have a disproportionately large amount of men who want to be or act like women.

Can't possibly be the case.

But..., Thailand actually seems to be full of men acting like women, at least Pattaya and Phuket

[richusa]

It's the same as the new plastic water bottle....they are making them easier to break down when thrown into a landfill...That's why there is an expiration date on these bottles.......WATER DOES NOT EXPIRE !! It's the plastic chemicals breaking down in these water bottles.

[richusa]

Well, who introduced these into Thailand....before most everything was given to you wrapped in a banana leaf. Blame the farang....

[max2u]

oh, sorry you couldn't find a scientific source.

http://ntp.niehs.nih...e_Monograph.pdf

HTH!

Ok keep on keeping on. It only talks about human reproduction and development and no mention of microwaveing plastics. They used to think smokeing was ok. up to you

Reproduction and development are highly sensitive outcome measures, when assaying exposure to compounds alleged to have steroidal-analogous effects (such as 'estrogenic').

The fact that major effects were NOT seen in humans who are regularly exposed to high levels of styrenes in their industrial workplaces, and that lab rats given dosages of 5-6 orders of magnitude higher per respective kg of body mass than humans ordinarily receive, and yet had no noticable effects, relates VERY well to a dosage level HIGHER than the postulated 'spike' of styrene ingestion gotten by those folks who microwave oily (<greater solubility of plastics) foods in polyfoam containers.

Eating that laad na out of a polyfoam clamshell box presents truly a negligible threat to the street food 'gourmet'

Oh, and as 'they used to think smoking was ok' before 'they' actually did any proper epidemiological studies, that's not much of an argument

[Card]

The same applies to cling film in contact with food, as well as water bottles. All plastics can contaminate anything that goes into the mouth - including condoms!

[SICHONSTEVE]

Sytrofoam containers contain the chemical styrene, which has a molecular structure similar to estrogen hormone in females, Dr. Weerachat said.

Well, this explains the man boobs. Huh! I was afraid I was becoming old and fat farang.

What is this doctor on about???

The chemical formula for styrene is NOTHING like that of oestrogen - I wonder what his PhD was in, it couldn't have been chemistry!!!

He is an unqualified berk of the highest order, just like most PhD's, they are wasters as far as I'm concerned that should find some useful purpose in life like washing up the dishes or hoovering the stairs (once they have been shown ten times how to do it).

[NoshowJones]

Sytrofoam containers contain the chemical styrene, which has a molecular structure similar to estrogen hormone in females

What you trying to say doc? That eating from a styrofoam pack, can turn a give a man a dose of feminine hormone. What an accusation, if that were the case, Thailand would have a disproportionately large amount of men who want to be or act like women.

Can't possibly be the case.

Oh no?

[youngXpat]

Well, who introduced these into Thailand....before most everything was given to you wrapped in a banana leaf. Blame the farang....

haha sure it must have been those pesky, rotten farangs!

[BradWilkins]

oh, sorry you couldn't find a scientific source.

http://ntp.niehs.nih...e_Monograph.pdf

HTH!

Ok keep on keeping on. It only talks about human reproduction and development and no mention of microwaveing plastics. They used to think smokeing was ok. up to you

Reproduction and development are highly sensitive outcome measures, when assaying exposure to compounds alleged to have steroidal-analogous effects (such as 'estrogenic').

The fact that major effects were NOT seen in humans who are regularly exposed to high levels of styrenes in their industrial workplaces, and that lab rats given dosages of 5-6 orders of magnitude higher per respective kg of body mass than humans ordinarily receive, and yet had no noticable effects, relates VERY well to a dosage level HIGHER than the postulated 'spike' of styrene ingestion gotten by those folks who microwave oily (<greater solubility of plastics) foods in polyfoam containers.

Eating that laad na out of a polyfoam clamshell box presents truly a negligible threat to the street food 'gourmet'

Oh, and as 'they used to think smoking was ok' before 'they' actually did any proper epidemiological studies, that's not much of an argument

[fxe1200]

The danger of using styrofoam is known for a minimum of two years.

" (...) which are made up of the chemicals benzene and styrene. Styrene, a possible carcinogen, leaches into hot foods and has been linked to central nervous system disorders such as headaches, fatigue, depression, and hearing loss." Source:

http://gothamschools.org/2010/05/12/one-mom%E2%80%99s-mission-to-get-rid-of-styrofoam-trays/

The Thammasat University found a solution to replace styrofoam boxes with boxes made out of compressed bananaleaves years ago, but this invention never entered the local market.

In the North of Thailand you still will find beautiful banana boxes which can hold your lunch without leaking.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_b2c-i5wQZ0c/TCjAv8mhMsI/AAAAAAAAA9o/kFHGxAqIaAo/s1600/Banana+leaf+packed+lunch+Thailand.JPG

But Thailand will not change for the better, the styrofoam industry and lobby would not accept a ban on styrofoam boxes.

We only can do our part by informing and take our own glass- or steel ware to wherever we buy our food to go.

[BradWilkins]

oh, sorry you couldn't find a scientific source.

http://ntp.niehs.nih...e_Monograph.pdf

HTH!

Ok keep on keeping on. It only talks about human reproduction and development and no mention of microwaveing plastics. They used to think smokeing was ok. up to you

Reproduction and development are highly sensitive outcome measures, when assaying exposure to compounds alleged to have steroidal-analogous effects (such as 'estrogenic').

The fact that major effects were NOT seen in humans who are regularly exposed to high levels of styrenes in their industrial workplaces, and that lab rats given dosages of 5-6 orders of magnitude higher per respective kg of body mass than humans ordinarily receive, and yet had no noticable effects, relates VERY well to a dosage level HIGHER than the postulated 'spike' of styrene ingestion gotten by those folks who microwave oily (<greater solubility of plastics) foods in polyfoam containers.

Eating that laad na out of a polyfoam clamshell box presents truly a negligible threat to the street food 'gourmet'

Oh, and as 'they used to think smoking was ok' before 'they' actually did any proper epidemiological studies, that's not much of an argument

your very defensive of the plastics industry. your argument presumes that science has now stopped advanceing

[Krungbin]

I remember that in the late 70's, I was living in Totonto, BK (well known fast food restaurants chain) decided to change the styrofoam containers in which its burgers were served with paper bags. At the time, they claimed it was for health and environmental reasons.

Polystyrene is a petroleum-based plastic made from the styrene monomer. And the dangers associated with styrene were already known...well, 30 years ago!

Health: eyes and skin irritations, bad effects on the upper upper airway primarily, the central nervous and the gastrointestinal system, and... it was already suspected of being a potential carcinogen.

Environment: it was already well known that styrofoam takes at least 500 years to decompose...

So, What's new? Nothing really.

Styrofoam for food for food and drinks" packaging or consumption should have been banned a long time ago.

But when you'll learn who the largest producers are, and that their yearly revenue amounts in tens and tens of billion ('yes, billion!) dollars, you'll understand why it is not, and not about to be banned...

[techboy]

Doctors suspect chemicals like styrene can cause symptoms of “brain fog”

Well, that explains everything, here I thought it was the education system.

Nasty. Uncalled for. I think that you have been eating out of a lot of styrene containers for a longgg time.

[dighambara]

Well one thing for sure, the environment does not have a say in it and it is the most widely abused styrene consumer judging by the amount of these containers in the khlongs and on streets.

Some years ago, the common styrene formulas in used in the US were changed to allow for degradation in sunlight, Most plastic items are no 'biodegradeable' and has been proven to me a few times when I have let a plastic bag of items sitting near a window - after about a month, everything that was inside (pens, pencils, etc.) are all on the floor and the bag is in shreds.

[SICHONSTEVE]

I remember that in the late 70's, I was living in Totonto, BK (well known fast food restaurants chain) decided to change the styrofoam containers in which its burgers were served with paper bags. At the time, they claimed it was for health and environmental reasons.

Polystyrene is a petroleum-based plastic made from the styrene monomer. And the dangers associated with styrene were already known...well, 30 years ago!

Health: eyes and skin irritations, bad effects on the upper upper airway primarily, the central nervous and the gastrointestinal system, and... it was already suspected of being a potential carcinogen.

Environment: it was already well known that styrofoam takes at least 500 years to decompose...

So, What's new? Nothing really.

Styrofoam for food for food and drinks" packaging or consumption should have been banned a long time ago.

But when you'll learn who the largest producers are, and that their yearly revenue amounts in tens and tens of billion ('yes, billion!) dollars, you'll understand why it is not, and not about to be banned...

Unfortunately true!!!!

[techboy]

Sytrofoam containers contain the chemical styrene, which has a molecular structure similar to estrogen hormone in females

What you trying to say doc? That eating from a styrofoam pack, can turn a give a man a dose of feminine hormone. What an accusation, if that were the case, Thailand would have a disproportionately large amount of men who want to be or act like women.

Can't possibly be the case.

Nope. Sex hormone administration generally causes a person to become more aggressive in whatever their sexual proclivity is. In any case the chemical similar to sex hormones will be metabolized and not accumulate in the body, unlike the carcinogens.

[laobali]

Since plastic was only introduced to Thailand fairly recently, it is used with abandon, and considered the greatest thing since sliced bread. (spidermike)

I don't think the average Thai cares much for sliced bread. How about "the greatest thing since karaoke"?

Edited February 8, 2013 by laobali

[techboy]

In the 89s when I was a scout leader we knew Styrofoam had negative properties but used them any how. How ever we tought the boys to never throw them in the fire as the smoke would harm them. Here we are 30 years later and Thailand is just discovering there is a poison in them.

No evidence that Thailand is only just discovering this. Just like you and your scouts they have used the convenient containers anyway. In any case since you are 30 yrs ahead of the local folks you certainly have been much too prudent to imbibe the hazardous materials.

[SICHONSTEVE]

oh, sorry you couldn't find a scientific source.

http://ntp.niehs.nih...e_Monograph.pdf

HTH!

Ok keep on keeping on. It only talks about human reproduction and development and no mention of microwaveing plastics. They used to think smokeing was ok. up to you

Reproduction and development are highly sensitive outcome measures, when assaying exposure to compounds alleged to have steroidal-analogous effects (such as 'estrogenic').

The fact that major effects were NOT seen in humans who are regularly exposed to high levels of styrenes in their industrial workplaces, and that lab rats given dosages of 5-6 orders of magnitude higher per respective kg of body mass than humans ordinarily receive, and yet had no noticable effects, relates VERY well to a dosage level HIGHER than the postulated 'spike' of styrene ingestion gotten by those folks who microwave oily (<greater solubility of plastics) foods in polyfoam containers.

Eating that laad na out of a polyfoam clamshell box presents truly a negligible threat to the street food 'gourmet'

Oh, and as 'they used to think smoking was ok' before 'they' actually did any proper epidemiological studies, that's not much of an argument

your very defensive of the plastics industry. your argument presumes that science has now stopped advanceing

No he hasn't!!! As stated before, styrene is not oestrogenic like that silly doctor says.

If something is not there in the first place then no matter how many scientific studies are done (in you're so called statement relating to 'advancing science') then no such connection will be found between styrene and any oestrogenic affects relating to exposure to it.

I was heavily exposed to styrene for 31 years and I haven't turned into a woman yet - and NO!!, I wasn't in the plastics industry so am not defending it.

[techboy]

Well, who introduced these into Thailand....before most everything was given to you wrapped in a banana leaf. Blame the farang....

haha sure it must have been those pesky, rotten farangs!

Yeah. I would like to see 'richusa' do without everything in his life that was introduced by the farangs.

[Thai at Heart]

Sytrofoam containers contain the chemical styrene, which has a molecular structure similar to estrogen hormone in females

What you trying to say doc? That eating from a styrofoam pack, can turn a give a man a dose of feminine hormone. What an accusation, if that were the case, Thailand would have a disproportionately large amount of men who want to be or act like women.

Can't possibly be the case.

Nope. Sex hormone administration generally causes a person to become more aggressive in whatever their sexual proclivity is. In any case the chemical similar to sex hormones will be metabolized and not accumulate in the body, unlike the carcinogens.

But what happens if you give a regular dose of oestrogen to men? And don't tell me that an average kid in Thailand doesn't consume food from something packaged in styrofoam just about every couple of days?

It was a tongue in cheek answer. However, just consider for a moment, that if what the doctor says turns out to be true, and it in 10 years time, when the koatoey population of Thailand has increased to an even higher proportion than today (not to say that it isn't possible to just be coincidence, and Thai society being open about these issues), that the causality was proven.

Consuming excess amounts of food directly or presented cooked and warm in a styrofoam box causing hormone imbalance?? My word, what a genuine calamity that could turn out to be. The food packaging industry, responsible for playing with the hormone levels of an entire country? So, I for one and my family, will leave it well alone, since I have an easy alternative called a plate and bowl.

[SICHONSTEVE]

Sytrofoam containers contain the chemical styrene, which has a molecular structure similar to estrogen hormone in females

What you trying to say doc? That eating from a styrofoam pack, can turn a give a man a dose of feminine hormone. What an accusation, if that were the case, Thailand would have a disproportionately large amount of men who want to be or act like women.

Can't possibly be the case.

Nope. Sex hormone administration generally causes a person to become more aggressive in whatever their sexual proclivity is. In any case the chemical similar to sex hormones will be metabolized and not accumulate in the body, unlike the carcinogens.

But what happens if you give a regular dose of oestrogen to men? And don't tell me that an average kid in Thailand doesn't consume food from something packaged in styrofoam just about every couple of days?

It was a tongue in cheek answer. However, just consider for a moment, that if what the doctor says turns out to be true, and it in 10 years time, when the koatoey population of Thailand has increased to an even higher proportion than today (not to say that it isn't possible to just be coincidence, and Thai society being open about these issues), that the causality was proven.

Consuming excess amounts of food directly or presented cooked and warm in a styrofoam box causing hormone imbalance?? My word, what a genuine calamity that could turn out to be. The food packaging industry, responsible for playing with the hormone levels of an entire country? So, I for one and my family, will leave it well alone, since I have an easy alternative called a plate and bowl.

The doctor is not right, he is a complete idiot masquerading as a know it all!!!