As we all know, polystyrene is one of the biggest contributor to pollution in the world. So, we have made a decision to study the polystyrene bad effect to the environment and human. We have use the secondary sources such as journal, e-lib, magazine, article from websites and others. The information that we get from the sources, we summarize the data and conclude the work of research that has been done by other people. our study is related with the research of polystyrene, one of the biggest contribute pollution in the world. There are some important information that must be conclude from each articles or sources such as effects of polystyrene to human and environmental, way of solution to fix the problem, causes that occur the polystyrene pollution and others.
2.2 Background
Polystyrene is the most material that use as food container or beverage around the country. There are more disadvantages of polystyrene compare than the advantages. Maybe polystyrene helps us a lot in doing packaging or use as food container, but the material that consists in polystyrene is non-biodegradable, means that the polystyrene can’t be recycled. So it is so dangerous to let the polystyrene place everywhere in our land or environment. Besides that, it also brings effect to human. In factory, to produce polystyrene need the human workers, as the workers expose to the toxic air that produce from fabrication process, it will affect their health especially hard to breath.
2.3 Definition of Polystyrene
Polystyrene is an inexpensive and hard plastic, and probably only polyethylene is more common in your everyday life. Polystyrene is a vinyl polymer. Structurally, it is a long hydrocarbon chain, with a phenyl group attached to every other carbon atom. Polystyrene is produced by free radical vinyl polymerization, from the monomer styrene.The benzene group in this compound is then dehydrogenated to yield polyethylene, or styrene, a clear liquid hydrocarbon with the chemical structure CH2=CHC6H5.Polystyrene foam was formerly made with the aid of chlorofluorocarbon blowing agents a class of compounds that has been banned for environmental reasons.
2.4 Effect of using polystyrene food container
From these articles we can clearly find many bad effects when use polystyrene and it have been proven by academic study. The research from Foundation for Achievement in Science and Education found that the styrene (the feedstock in the manufacture of polystyrene) can cause neurotic, hematological, cytogenetic and carcinogenic effects. Besides that the other research show the evidence that styrene causes in animal but for human, it not yet been proven. Styrene primarily exhibits its toxicity to human as a neurotoxin by attacking the central and peripheral nervous systems. Other research from Universiti Utara Malaysia show that styrene can be very toxicity at high level and possible chemical migration to humans. 2.5Awareness among peoples about polystyrene as the biggest contributor in pollution and the solution to prevent using polystyrene actively
From the articles I have gather all information about awareness among peoples about polystyrene as the biggest contributor in pollution, and some independent society that active in protests the using of polystyrene, especially community in Malaysia. As example, the society from University Sains Malaysia (USM), has managed the campaign to stop using polystyrene. The campaign actively spread the information about the bad effect that can bring by polystyrene. The society has got a good feedback from the students/community in USM. This shows from the signature campaign that launched by the society. Around 2000 students give their signature, there still have awareness among these students but we need a better action from government or any society to prevent the use of polystyrene. Maybe it will take a long time to achieve the objective but at least if we do it step by step, it will show improvement in result. From the article also I have know the research that has been done by THE Consumers Association of Penang (CAP). CAP has conducted a study comprising random data collection of polystyrene that used by community in Selangor and Penang. The study has revealed that 630,000 and 347,000 polystyrene food and drink containers were used in Selangor and Penang respectively. This shows how worst this problem in Malaysia and low awareness among community in Penang and Selangor.
2.6 Recycle habit
One of the best things that you, as an individual, can do for the environment is to get into the habit of recycling aluminium cans and foil. This is because the recycling process uses so much less energy than making the metal the first time, it's simply a matter of remelting the aluminium ready to use again. Recycling reduces pollution and saves energy. Making products from virgin or raw materials results in pollution and uses more energy. Aluminium products are infinitely recyclable, so when you get into the recycling habit you really do help save natural resources.
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
2.1 Introduction
As we all know, polystyrene is one of the biggest contributor to pollution in the world. So, we have made a decision to study the polystyrene bad effect to the environment and human. We have use the secondary sources such as journal, e-lib, magazine, article from websites and others. The information that we get from the sources, we summarize the data and conclude the work of research that has been done by other people. our study is related with the research of polystyrene, one of the biggest contribute pollution in the world. There are some important information that must be conclude from each articles or sources such as effects of polystyrene to human and environmental, way of solution to fix the problem, causes that occur the polystyrene pollution and others.
2.2 Background
Polystyrene is the most material that use as food container or beverage around the country. There are more disadvantages of polystyrene compare than the advantages. Maybe polystyrene helps us a lot in doing packaging or use as food container, but the material that consists in polystyrene is non-biodegradable, means that the polystyrene can’t be recycled. So it is so dangerous to let the polystyrene place everywhere in our land or environment. Besides that, it also brings effect to human. In factory, to produce polystyrene need the human workers, as the workers expose to the toxic air that produce from fabrication process, it will affect their health especially hard to breath.
2.3 Definition of Polystyrene
Polystyrene is an inexpensive and hard plastic, and probably only polyethylene is more common in your everyday life. Polystyrene is a vinyl polymer. Structurally, it is a long hydrocarbon chain, with a phenyl group attached to every other carbon atom. Polystyrene is produced by free radical vinyl polymerization, from the monomer styrene.The benzene group in this compound is then dehydrogenated to yield polyethylene, or styrene, a clear liquid hydrocarbon with the chemical structure CH2=CHC6H5.Polystyrene foam was formerly made with the aid of chlorofluorocarbon blowing agents a class of compounds that has been banned for environmental reasons.
2.4 Effect of using polystyrene food container
From these articles we can clearly find many bad effects when use polystyrene and it have been proven by academic study. The research from Foundation for Achievement in Science and Education found that the styrene (the feedstock in the manufacture of polystyrene) can cause neurotic, hematological, cytogenetic and carcinogenic effects. Besides that the other research show the evidence that styrene causes in animal but for human, it not yet been proven. Styrene primarily exhibits its toxicity to human as a neurotoxin by attacking the central and peripheral nervous systems. Other research from Universiti Utara Malaysia show that styrene can be very toxicity at high level and possible chemical migration to humans.
2.5 Awareness among peoples about polystyrene as the biggest contributor in pollution and the solution to prevent using polystyrene actively
From the articles I have gather all information about awareness among peoples about polystyrene as the biggest contributor in pollution, and some independent society that active in protests the using of polystyrene, especially community in Malaysia. As example, the society from University Sains Malaysia (USM), has managed the campaign to stop using polystyrene. The campaign actively spread the information about the bad effect that can bring by polystyrene. The society has got a good feedback from the students/community in USM. This shows from the signature campaign that launched by the society. Around 2000 students give their signature, there still have awareness among these students but we need a better action from government or any society to prevent the use of polystyrene. Maybe it will take a long time to achieve the objective but at least if we do it step by step, it will show improvement in result. From the article also I have know the research that has been done by THE Consumers Association of Penang (CAP). CAP has conducted a study comprising random data collection of polystyrene that used by community in Selangor and Penang. The study has revealed that 630,000 and 347,000 polystyrene food and drink containers were used in Selangor and Penang respectively. This shows how worst this problem in Malaysia and low awareness among community in Penang and Selangor.
2.6 Recycle habit
One of the best things that you, as an individual, can do for the environment is to get into the habit of recycling aluminium cans and foil. This is because the recycling process uses so much less energy than making the metal the first time, it's simply a matter of remelting the aluminium ready to use again. Recycling reduces pollution and saves energy. Making products from virgin or raw materials results in pollution and uses more energy. Aluminium products are infinitely recyclable, so when you get into the recycling habit you really do help save natural resources.