Doctors Warn of Cancer Risk from Plastics
Doctors are cautioning against the use of styrofoam and plastic “to-go” containers, saying the containers release carcinogenic chemicals. The containers, almost universally used by Thailand’s street food vendors, can release styrene when heated or cooled. The styrene then leaches into the food and is absorbed by the body during digestion .
While there is no long-term evidence on the consumption of styrene and other chemicals in plastic, doctors warn an accumulation of the chemicals can lead to disease or premature death.
Doctors say styrene can cause symptoms like “brain fog,” irritability and other mood disorders, as well as irregular menstrual cycles in women. Carcinogens in styrene can also cause prostate cancer in men, breast cancer in women, and liver cancer in both.
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Related texts: Medical Malpractice in Thailand
Flickr photo courtesy of massdistraction
