OCPB launches Safety Without Polystyrene Foam In Food Packaging project

BANGKOK, 24 May 2016 (NNT) - Prime Minister's Office Minister Panadda Disakul presided over the opening ceremony for the project entitled " Safety Without Polystyrene Foam In Food Packaging” organized by the Office of Consumer Protection Board.

The project is designed to protect consumers and encourage food entrepreneurs to reduce and quit using polystyrene foam in food packaging industry.

The event features an academic forum and an exhibition on the possible dangers of polystyrene foam used in food packaging.

Polystyrene foam is hazardous to human health and contains neurotoxins styrene and benzene, which are widely accepted to be carcinogens. Such toxins can leach into food which may be acidic, warm, alcoholic or oily and seep into environment if exposed to rain or high humidity.

-- NNT 2016-05-24

What a super catchy title for this project.

At least after an academic forum and an exibition the matter has been resolved.

If only all the other issues facing the country were so easy.

They need to be positive and supply an alternative. Cardboard is expensive.

They could subsidise the cardboard and vendors would use it.

What a super catchy title for this project.

At least after an academic forum and an exibition the matter has been resolved.

If only all the other issues facing the country were so easy.

Launching the project is easy, convincing thousands of packaging outlets, including Makro, to stop stocking EP foam products and millions of food vendors to use more expensive and less convenient alternatives will be the hard bit.

Recycled and bio- degradeable cardboard alternatives are already widely available at twice the price.

legislation might be required but it will not be popular.

It is the mindset that needs to change with all these packaging issues.

Living on the beach for the past 15 years ( I know, I'm hoping to live in a house, one day) I'd rate this one of the most welcome ideas the Government) had initiated this year. The idea for subsidising cardboard packaging is reasonable. There is a fabulous alternative, at the start up stage - packaging made from processed, compressed natural material(certain plants). Cannot recollect the exact details,( BP article) but the first samples were developed by a group of Bangkok university students. Has styrofoam been banned in other countries and what has replaced it?

Can they not make something out of sugarcane or so? Bananaleaves are also great.

We get our food in bio degradable boxes, costs 50 baht for a kao pad kai.