Day 010 - 11 Jul 94 - Page 35
1 the Polystyrene Packaging Council is?
A. The Polystyrene Packaging Council is a trade
2 organisation composed of manufacturers of plastic foam
food packaging.
3
Q. Presumably it would not be in their interests to identify
4 problems with packaging unless it was a well known
established scientific fact?
5 A. Well-----
6 Q. They do not normally campaign telling people what the
problems are with polystyrene packaging, is that correct?
7 A. Well, in general a trade organisation seeks to promote
the interests of its members, in this case foam food
8 packagers; the issue that has been raised in earlier
testimony and also within the campaign that we were
9 engaged in was that foam food packaging is better than
alternatives because foam food packaging does not contain
10 large quantities of various disease factors as compared to
reusable food vessels that are washed in a dishwasher.
11
The issue that is raised here or addressed here is whether
12 or not there is an additional possibility -- that is the
food packaging trade group is acknowledging the
13 possibility that these components migrate into or can
migrate into the food products that are contained within
14 the polystyrene food package.
15 Q. Which part of that -- the pamphlet is headed Polystyrene
Food Service Packaging: A Health Profile.
16 A. I would refer you to the page that begins with "60 to
4,000 P P M".
17
Q. This is page 8 in our bundle, I believe.
18 A. Yes. Then the second paragraph -- the first complete
paragraph.
19
Q. Can you read it out then?
20 A. "The more important question is how much styrene
actually migrates into food. Polystyrene packaging is
21 designed to minimise the migration of styrene into food,
which can impart an off taste at very low concentrations.
22 Independent studies have shown that residual styrene
concentrations in polystyrene of 500 parts P P M (parts
23 per million) produce migration levels of styrene into food
in the five to 50 parts per billion range."
24
Next paragraph: "The issue is addressed as to whether or
25 not there are any adverse health effects", and here the
representatives or the material distributed by the
26 polystyrene packaging council makes statements claiming
that "scientific research does not support the notion that
27 styrene migration into food products is of any concern".
28 Q. Right.
29 MR. JUSTICE BELL: I have not found that.
30 MR. MORRIS: Sorry, page 8.
