Day 007 - 06 Jul 94 - Page 47


     
     1        the possible sources for that event?
              A.  Anywhere from getting it from auto emissions to
     2        getting it from naturally occurring styrene in
              strawberries, in  coffee, in some nuts.  As a matter of
     3        fact, styrene is approved by the US FDA to be added to
              food to as a flavouring in very small quantities.
     4
         Q.   In small quantities.  Do you know of any evidence to
     5        suggest that styrene is dangerous to humans?
              A.  The FDA in our country I do not think would approve it
     6        for ingredients to food if they felt it was dangerous, and
              they do very serious studies.
     7
         Q.   Can I just ask you about the next two paragraphs.  I will
     8        read them separately.  "Issues surrounding polystyrene
              foam food packaging disposal.  The national bureau ...
     9        Identified fifty- seven chemical byproducts released
              during conduction of polystyrene foam during laboratory
    10        tests.  These findings identified a number of dangerous
              cancer causing chemicals that are released when foam
    11        products are burned."  What did that piece of reserve
              actually consider, Mr. Kouchoukos?
    12        A.  Now, this was a study that was done to test what
              happens in a house fire when ----  Now he could have used
    13        styrofoam because this was testing styrofoam and not
              necessarily polystyrene foam.  What happens in a house
    14        when a home is insulated with styrofoam- as the insulation
              burnt uncontrollably under combustion situations with the
    15        house burning down.
 
    16   Q.   How does that differ from incineration of polystyrene foam
              as a means of waste disposal?
    17        A.  Incineration implies that it is a controlled
              combustion process in the presence of adequate oxygen.
    18        Combustion implies that there is a lack of oxygen and you
              get very incomplete combustion of the material which is a
    19        big pollutant, products of incomplete combustion are.
 
    20   Q.   Does the release dangerous chemicals (I leave out words
               'cancer causing') depend to any extent on the temperature
    21        at which the combustion takes place?
              A.  Greatly.
    22
         Q.   So, as a description of what happens in a landfill
    23        incineration site, this paragraph we have looked at- is
              that a fair and accurate account of what happens, or not?
    24        A.  It is not.
 
    25   Q.   If it has to do with the combustibility of polystyrene or
              styrofoam insulation in a house fire, does it have 
    26        anything to do with McDonald's use of polystyrene foam for 
              food packaging? 
    27        A.  I cannot imagine where it would, no.
 
    28   Q.   Then he goes on "Landfill disposal of foam products
              results in the over-filling of landfills with bulky, non-
    29        degrading plastics. In the environment these foam
              substances do not decay and can be found on beaches and
    30        littering roadsides when they are not disposed of in
              landfills".  Leave that for the moment.   "CCHW research

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