Are plastics toxic when used in contact with foods and medicines?

No.
Plastics are used world-over because they are safe for packaging of foods, medicines and child care products. A few examples are - milk pouches, edible oil container, ice-cream packs, blister packs for tablets and capsules.I.V.fluids and blood is collected and stored in plastic bags.

What is polypropylene?

Polypropylene is a plastic polymer, of the chemical designation C3H6. It is used in many different settings, both in industry and in consumer goods. It can be used both as a structural plastic and as a fiber.

Polypropylene is often used for food containers, particularly those that need to be dishwasher safe. The melting point of polypropylene is very high compared to many other plastics, at 320°F (160°C), which means that the hot water used when washing dishes will not cause polypropylene dishware to warp. This contrasts with polyethylene, another popular plastic for containers, which has a much lower melting point. Polypropylene is also very easy to add dyes to, and is often used as a fiber in carpeting which needs to be rugged and durable, such as the carpet one finds around swimming pools or paving miniature golf courses. Unlike nylon, which is also often used as a fiber for rugged carpeting, polypropylene doesn't soak up water, making it ideal for uses where it will be constantly subject to moisture.

Research is ongoing with polypropylene, as makers experiment with different methods for synthesizing it. Some of these experiments yield the promise of exciting new types of polypropylene, with new consistencies and a different feel from the fairly rigid version we are all used to. These new elastic versions of polypropylene are very rubbery, making them even more resistant to shattering and opening up many different uses for an already pervasive plastic.

Polypropylene is not as sturdy as polyethylene, but it has benefits that make it the better choice in some situations. One of these situations is creating hinges from a plastic, such as a plastic lid on a travel mug. Over time, plastics fatigue from the repetitive stress of being opened and shut, and eventually will break. Polypropylene is very resistant to this sort of stress, and is the plastic most often used for lids and caps which require a hinging mechanism.

Like many plastics, polypropylene has virtually endless uses, and its development has not slowed since its discovery. Whether used for industrial molds, rugged currency, car parts, or Tupperware, polypropylene is one of a handful of materials the world is literally built around.

Polypropylene (PP) is a thermoplastic.

It is a linear structure based on the monomer CnH2n. It is manufactured from propylene gas in presence of a catalyst such as titanium chloride. Beside PP is a by-product of oil refining processes.

Most polypropylene used is highly crystalline and geometrically regular (i.e. isotactic) opposite to amorphous thermoplastics, such as polystyrene, PVC, polyamide, etc., which radicals are placed radomly (i.e. atactic).

It is said that PP has an intermediate level of crystallinity between low density polyethylene (LDPE) and high density polyethylene (HDPE); On the other hand PP has higher working temperatures and tensile strength than polyethylene.

The first polypropylene resin was produced by Giulio Natta in Spain, although commercial production began in 1957.

Properties of polypropylene

Listed below you will find the reasons why polypropylene is commonly used in our daily life:

- Light in weight
For example, PP has the lowest density (i.e 0.90-0.92 g/cm3) of the resins used in packaging.
Polymer Melt Index Density (gr/ml)
LDPE (Low Density Polyethylene) 0.2 - 20.0 0.916 - 0.930
HDPE (High Density Polyethylene) 0.2 - 25.0 0.950 - 0.960
Polypropylene 2.0 - 50.0 0.910 - 0.928

- Excellent resistance to stress and high resistant to cracking (i.e. it has high tensile and
compressive strength)
- High operational temperatures with a melting point of 160°C
- Excellent dielectric properties
- It is highly resistant to most alkalis and acid, organic solvents, degreasing agents and electrolytic attack. On the contrary is less resistance to aromatic, aliphatic and chlorinated solvents and UV.
- Non-toxic
- Non-staining
- Easy to produce, assembly and an economic material

In order to improve some properties PP formulas may include additives such as pigments, carbon black, rubbers, antioxidants, and UV stabilizer. PP is available as molding powder, extruded sheet, cast film, textile staple, and continuous filament yarn.

Application

In general homopolymers (i.e. with only one type of monomer) can be used for housing, housewares, packaging, cassette holders and fibers, monofilaments and film tapes; copolymers (i.e. different monomers are involved) are prefered for all applications exposed to cold and they are widely used for pipes, containers, boat hulls, seat shells and automotive parts e.g. battery cases and bumpers.

Polypropylene can be manufactured to a high degree of purity to be used for the semiconductor industry. Its resistance to bacterial growth makes it suitable to be used in medical equipment. Polypropylene is used in most of our nonwoven fabrics such as rope used in a variety of industries, including fishing and agriculture. PP can be used for flexible packaging applications (e.g. yogurt containers, syrup bottles, straws, etc.), construction sector (e.g. drainage pipes, pumps, etc.), automotive sector, etc.

Environmental issues and occupational health and safety issues

Plastics represents a 14 to 22% in volume of solid waste. It can be melted and recycled, making it a thermoplastic elastomer but the recycling degrade the properties. Another difficulty is the management of plastics that are difficult to separate from other materials for its recycling. On the other hand recycling can be a cost-effective possibility if we take into account the social cost of landfills as well as fees.

For more information on the disposal of plastics.

The use of PP does not have any remarkable effect from an occupational health and safety point of view, in terms of chemical toxicity. The manufacture of the polymer at high temperature can released irritating vapors to respiratory system and eyes. There is no known effect from chronic exposure to this product.

Polyethylene Polypropylene Polystyrene Polyesters Polycarbonate PVC Nylon Poly(methyl methacrylate) Q: What is polystyrene? A: Polystyrene (PS) is a versatile plastic that can be rigid or foamed. General purpose polystyrene is clear, hard and brittle. It has a relatively low melting point. Typical applications include protective packaging, containers, lids, cups, bottles and trays. Q: What is polypropylene? A: Polypropylene (PP) is a plastic with good chemical resistance, is strong, and has a high melting point making it good for hot-fill liquids. Polypropylene is found in flexible and rigid packaging to fibers and large molded parts for automotive and consumer products. Q: What is PET? A: Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET or PETE) is a clear, tough plastic with good gas and moisture barrier properties. Commonly used in soft drink bottles and many injection molded consumer product containers. Other applications include strapping and both food and non-food containers. Cleaned, recycled PET flakes and pellets are in great demand for spinning fiber for carpet yarns, producing fiberfill and geo-textiles. Q: Can your products be used in a microwave oven? A: Proper use of Dart polystyrene plastic cups or containers in a microwave oven is fine, as long as they are not overheated. The performance of Dart products in a microwave, however, may vary depending upon the type of food being heated, the length of heating time, and the intensity of the microwave oven. Typically, microwaves act to heat the water within a food or beverage. This heat is then transferred to the entire food or beverage contents. Since polystyrene cups or containers themselves do not contain water within their molecular structure, they are unaffected by the microwaves. If the container's temperature changes, it is only because of the increasing heat of the liquid or solid they contain. Be aware that food with a high sugar or fat content (or both) can raise the boiling temperature to over the normal 212 degrees Fahrenheit. If cooked or heated too long, some foods can soften the container, leading to a mess in the microwave oven and danger of burns from hot food or liquid. Periodic checking on food or beverages during the reheating process is recommended to prevent damage to the container. Q: Can I buy cups printed with my name and/or logo? A: Yes – with some minimum volume requirements. Most sizes of Dart cups and containers can be custom printed in up to four spot colors. If you are interested in custom printing, Q: Where can I get dispensers for your cups? A: We do offer a limited line of stainless steel dispensers for our foam cups and containers. Most dispenser manufacturers and many distributors also offer dispensers that are compatible with our products. Q: What temperatures will your products withstand? A: Our products will generally withstand a wide range of termperatures, but this can be influenced by the presence of fats, sugar, and other ingredients in food and beverages. Q: Can I freeze food in your containers? 1. Is PS clogging our landfills? 2. What are my options for disposing of my PS? 3. Is PS recyclable? In my area? 4. How much post-consumer PS is currently recycled? 5. What products are made with recycled PS? 6. Is PS being recycled in other parts of the world? 7. What is the PS industry going to do to increase its recycling rates? Why isn't the PS industry supporting new recycling programs? 8. How is solid waste currently managed in the US? 9. Since recent EPA MSW studies show landfill capacity is high and waste-to-energy capacity is high, why is there still such a push to recycle PS, which can be safely landfilled and burned? 10. I've heard about alternative technologies to recycle PS by dissolving it in a citrus-based solvent. What is the status of this technology? Is it available? How much does it cost? Why isn't the industry promoting it more? 11. How long does it take for PS to biodegrade? 12. How do PS source reduction/waste reduction activities compare to PS recycling activities? 13. PS damages the ozone - isn't PS made with CFCs? 14. Isn't pentane, the blowing agent commonly used to make PS foam food service products and protective shape molding, a health hazard? Doesn't pentane contribute to photochemical smog? Are there substitutes for pentane that are friendlier to the environment and if so, why doesn't the PS industry switch? 15. Doesn't PS produce toxic chemicals when it's incinerated? 16. How much hazardous waste is produced when PS is manufactured? 17. What is the industry doing to combat litter? Isn't most litter PS stuff? 18. How much energy is used to make PS and what impact does it have on our non-renewable petroleum feedstock reserves? 19. What impact, if any, will global warming regulations have on the PS industry? 20. How does PS measure up to competing materials like paper and reusables? 21. I understand technology allows some plastics to be made of degradable resins - what applications for degradable PS resins/products exist today? 1. Is PS clogging our landfills? PS is not clogging our landfills. All PS packaging (food service, protective packaging, etc.) comprises only a tiny fraction of the material that goes into our landfills. In fact, less than one percent by weight of the total municipal solid waste disposed is PS. Paper and paperboard products make up the largest category of material disposed in our landfills (about 31 percent), followed by food (almost 15 percent). 2. What are my options for disposing of my PS? Options to safely and efficiently dispose of PS are the same as those for other municipally generated wastes. This includes the integrated solid waste management system advocated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): source reduction, reuse, recycling, waste combustion (preferably with energy recovery), and landfilling. (Refer to questions 10 & 11) 3. Is PS recyclable? In my area? PS can be recycled in those areas where programs exist. In the past, due to more favorable economic conditions, more recycling programs existed for post-consumer PS than are in place today. However, PS recycling - generally for transport/protective packaging and non-packaging, non-durable PS materials - remains available in a select number of locations in North America. Office supplies, videocassette casings, transport packaging, egg cartons, and lunch trays are some of the products that have been made from recycled PS. It is important to remember that most paper-based food service products are coated with materials, such as wax or polyethylene, that render them difficult, if not impossible, to recycle. 4. How much post-consumer PS is currently recycled? The latest figures available are for the 2001 calendar year. In 2001, 55.3 million total pounds of PS packaging were recycled. This is an increase of 5.7 percent over 2000's total of 52.3 million pounds. The breakout of the total by PS packaging type is as follows: Protective Packaging - 25.2 million pounds; Food Service Products - 0.2. million pounds; Other PS Applications (non-packaging non-durables) - 29.7 million pounds, and; Bottles and Containers - 0.2 million pounds. 5. What products are made with recycled PS? There are many products made from recycled PS, including egg cartons, lunch trays, transport packaging, audio and videocassette casings, building supplies, and office supplies. For more information on products made from recycled plastic, contact us. 6. Is PS being recycled in other parts of the world? PFPG primarily tracks and monitors recycling in the US. PFPG lacks full knowledge of the status of PS recycling in every area of the world. PFPG is aware that PS recycling is taking place in Canada, Europe and Asia. 7. What is the PS industry going to do to increase its recycling rates? Why isn't the PS industry supporting new recycling programs? The PS industry will continue to promote recycling only where it makes economic and environmental sense. Recycling is one of several options for disposing of products and is just one aspect of a larger, complex, interrelated issue. For recycling to be successful, it must be cost effective. It should be noted that recycling has not occurred at the point an item is put in a recycling bin. For recycling to occur, consumers must demand and purchase products made from recycled materials. This is true for PS recycling. Recycling of PS will increase when consumer demand for products made with recycled PS increases. 8. How is solid waste currently managed in the US? According to the latest EPA figures, about 28 percent of all solid waste, including PS packaging, is recycled or composted, 55 percent is landfilled, and 17 percent is incinerated. Recycling programs for materials that can be recycled cost effectively - corrugated cardboard, newspapers, aluminum cans, etc. are well established. The economics of recycling, landfilling, and waste-to-energy incineration are local issues - and are decided on a local and regional basis. Many smaller, older landfills in the US have closed over the last decade, primarily due to the high cost of complying with strict federal environmental regulations. However, in many areas of the country, the amount of disposal capacity has actually increased with the emergence of large "mega" landfills that can economically comply with federal regulations. 9. Since recent EPA MSW studies show landfill capacity is high and waste-to-energy capacity is high, why is there still such a push to recycle PS, which can be safely landfilled and burned? Recycling is viewed by much of the public as primarily a social issue, and few people outside the recycling and solid waste management field examine it from an economic and resource utilization perspective. The public's perceived value of recycling, rather than the true value in terms of total environmental benefits, is often what drives recycling efforts. 10. I've heard about alternative technologies to recycle PS by dissolving it in a citrus-based solvent. What is the status of this technology? Is it available? How much does it cost? Why isn't the industry promoting it more? A method of PS source reduction is the process of de-gasification of PS. In this process, a solution is applied to foamed PS that de-gasifies the material and densifies it into a gel-like substance. The goal is to further process this gel by removing the dissolving solution and recovering the polystyrene. The solutions currently being worked with are both citrus-based and non-citrus-based. Although de-gasification technology has been known for decades, this process has not, as yet, been successfully commercialized to recycle polystyrene into new products. There are several firms currently attempting to reach this goal, but so far, only the densification portion of this process has been commercially established. Also, although no publicly accessible economic information is available, many industry observers have estimated that at this time the full cost of the recycled PS will exceed the cost of virgin PS. This technology will continue to be monitored as technical and cost information emerges and the marketplace has an opportunity to prove its long-term viability. 11. How long does it take for PS to biodegrade? Designing packaging materials to degrade, either through biodegradation (the breaking down and consumption of materials by naturally occurring microorganisms) or photodegradation (the breaking down of materials from sunlight), is not currently a viable option to manage solid waste in the US, but is a supplementary one at best. While degradable materials may not be intended to end up in landfills or incinerators, the reality is that the majority of MSW in the US, including degradables, is disposed of in landfills (55 percent) or is incinerated (17 percent), places where degradation does not occur. A very common misconception is that materials biodegrade in a meaningful timeframe in today's landfills. It is often mistakenly thought that landfills are vast composters, when in reality, they are vast mummifiers of waste. Very little of the waste discarded in today's modern, highly engineered landfills, including paper, plastic, and even food, biodegrades - and it's not supposed to. Because degradation of materials can create potentially harmful liquid and gaseous byproducts that could contaminate groundwater and air, today's landfills are designed to minimize contact with air and water required for degradation to occur, thereby practically eliminating the degradation of waste. 12. How do PS source reduction/waste reduction activities compare to PS recycling activities? In 1997, total waste diversion of PS packaging and disposables was 15.7 percent of generation. Between 1974 and 1997, the amount of PS packaging and disposals diverted through source reduction alone increased more than 40-fold, eliminating more than 2,900 billion pounds of material. Source reduction can make a positive contribution toward conserving resources - as significant as recycling. One way to evaluate the impact of source reduction is to compare the resources saved by preventing waste versus recycling. The amount of PS material sourced reduced in 1997 has an energy savings equivalent to having recycled 51 percent of the PS packaging and disposables produced in 1997. 13. PS damages the ozone - isn't PS made with CFCs? No chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are currently used in the domestic manufacture of PS packaging products and haven't been since 1990. Most (about 70 percent) PS foam products never were made with CFCs. Those few that did use CFCs comprised a very small portion of US CFC use. In fact, the EPA says that only two to three percent of CFCs used in the US went toward production of PS packaging products. By 1990, those few PS manufacturers that did use them voluntary phased out the use of CFCs. 14. Isn't pentane, the blowing agent commonly used to make PS foam food service products and protective shape molding, a health hazard? Doesn't pentane contribute to photochemical smog? Are there substitutes for pentane that are friendlier to the environment and if so, why doesn't the PS industry switch? Pentane itself is not a health hazard, nor is it a significant contributor to smog, and has no effect on the upper stratospheric ozone layer. Technology has been introduced which recycles the pentane and uses it as a fuel within the plant. Where smog formation is a concern, manufacturers use state-of-the-art technology to capture pentane emissions. 15. Doesn't PS produce toxic chemicals when it's incinerated? All carbonaceous materials (wood, paper, charcoal, plastic, etc.) create noxious fumes when burned in uncontrolled situations. However, all of these materials, including PS, can be safely incinerated in a modern combustion facility. Incineration converts PS to carbon dioxide, water vapor, and a very small amount of nontoxic ash. Also, Incineration of PS generates large quantities of usable energy -- approximately 16,000 BTUs/pound, which is twice that of coal. 16. How much hazardous waste is produced when PS is manufactured? PS is an inert substance. In addition, the production aids used to make food service PS packaging are few in number and pose no known threat to human health or the environment. All additives to food service PS are used in compliance with US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations. Production processes contain numerous emission control devices that capture and reduce emissions. Examples of the small amount of hazardous waste generated are solvents and inks from printing on finished PS products (industry uses water based and high solids inks), and any spills of intermediate chemicals that might be used to make PS in polymer plants. 17. What is the industry doing to combat litter? Isn't most litter PS stuff? A widely held misconception is that litter is a problem caused by specific materials themselves rather than aberrant consumer behavior. The unfortunate reality is that some people improperly dispose of materials by littering. Littering is a matter of behavior; people who improperly discard materials into the environment usually do so because they don't think or don't care. Attributing the litter issue to one particular packaging material does not solve the problem because another type of packaging will take its place as litter unless behavior changes. The use of information and education to change behavior is the best method to reduce litter. To address litter concerns effectively, the PS industry cares about the environment and supports organizations such as Keep America Beautiful, that work to reduce litter across the country. 18. How much energy is used to make PS and what impact does it have on our non-renewable petroleum feedstock reserves? The manufacture of all plastics consumed approximately three percent of the total petroleum used in the US in 1997, and PS production comprised approximately .002 percent of that amount. Comparatively, 71 percent of total petroleum used in the US is used for gasoline, jet, and diesel fuel, and 26 percent for the production of asphalt, oils and lubricants. 19. What impact, if any, will global warming regulations have on the PS industry? Global warming regulations should have minimal direct impact on the PS industry. The primary pollutants that contribute to global warming come from industry segments other than the plastics industry such as the oil industry (refineries) and the automotive industry (hydrocarbon emissions from cars). There are few greenhouse gas emissions generated by the PS industry, and PS product manufacturers have phased out the use of CFCs as blowing agents. Indirectly, increased global warming regulations will cause PS manufacturers to incur higher electricity costs for manufacturing as well as higher fuel costs for transportation. 20. How does PS measure up to competing materials like paper and reusables? Life cycle analysis (LCA), or a "cradle-to-grave" study, has been conducted comparing PS to its paperboard and reusable alternatives, particularly in packaging applications. These studies include all processes from raw material acquisition, to ultimate disposal of the product. In most cases, PS compares favorably from an overall energy and environmental emissions standpoint when compared to its alternate material counterparts. All products have environmental and energy burdens associated with the use of raw materials and conversion into products. Several LCA studies conducted in the US and Europe confirm the environmental acceptability of PS. 21. I understand technology allows some plastics to be made of degradable resins - what applications for degradable PS resins/products exist today? There are currently no applications for degradable PS resins. Degradable plastics are primarily used where applications require this feature -- such as sutures, or agricultural mulch film designed to break down once buried under the soil. The FDA has not been asked to, and therefore has not yet approved, the use of degradable plastics for food service products. * What is Expanded Polystyrene (EPS)? * How is EPS made? * Where is it used? What is the market in Europe? * Who needs EPS? * What are the benefits offered by EPS? * Does the manufacture of expanded polystyrene have any impact upon the environment? * Can expanded polystyrene be recycled? * How does EPS behave in case of fire? * Is expanded polystyrene banned anywhere in the world? * Where can I get an updated list of the main EPS converters and raw material producers in Europe? * Where can I get further information or assistance about EPS use? * What is Expanded Polystyrene (EPS)? Expanded Polystyrene or EPS for short, is a lightweight, rigid, plastic foam insulation material produced by expanding solid beads of polystyrene. A cost-effective, easy-to-use and process material, it performs as an acoustic and thermal insulator, is moisture resistant, recyclable and environmentally sound. * How is EPS made? EPS beads are formed by steam-heating small amounts of pentane gas dissolved in the polystyrene base material during production. The gas expands under the actionthe steam, to form perfectly closed cells of EPS. These cells occupy 40 to 60 times the volume of the original polystyrene bead. The EPS beads are then moulded into appropriate forms suited to their application such as insulation boards, blocks or customised shapes for the building and packaging industry. * Where is it used? What is the market in Europe? Expanded polystyrene (EPS) is among the biggest commodity polymers produced in the world. The total world demand in 2007 was over 4 million tonnes. EPS is used in many applications like thermal insulation board in buildings, lightweight fill in road building, packaging, cushioning of valuable goods and food packaging. Western Europe contributes 27 percent of the global demand for EPS and was more than 1 million tonnes in 2007. The corresponding value of this volume is approximately 3 billion Euro. The average annual growth is expected to be 2.5 percent per annum up to 2010. * Who needs EPS? Anyone who needs to thermally and acoustically insulate walls, roofs or floors will find EPS the ideal, cost-effective and comfortable and easy-to-use material in all types of buildings, from houses and offices to factories and schools. * What are the benefits offered by EPS? User benefits: o Excellent thermal insulation EPS is 98 percent air, and is therefore and excellent thermal insulation material. o Proven acoustic insulation EPS absorbs sound, both impact sound in floating floors and airborne sound for walls. o Moisture resistant EPS resists degradation by absorption of water. o Lifetime durability EPS does not decompose. It therefore provides lifetime application. o Flexible mechanical properties With its flexible production process, the mechanical properties of EPS can be adjusted to suit every specified application. o Versatile EPS can be manufactured in almost any shape or size, and is compatible with a wide variety of materials. o Cost-effective EPS offers the best price/performance ratio compared to any other insulation material. o Easy to transport EPS is almost as light as air, so it saves fuel in transport. o Easy to install EPS is light, practical, safe and comfortable to handle and install. o Flame retardant There are two grades: FR grade, a version that is "self extinguishing" that includes a flame retardant and non-FR without a flame retardant. Environmental benefits: o Extremely safe EPS is non-toxic and totally inert. It contains no Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) or Hydrofluorocarbons (HCFCs), and never has at any time during its life-cycle. It is also totally absent of any nutritional value so no fungi or micro-organisms, such as mold, can grow within EPS. o Recyclable At the end of its initial application, EPS is recycled in high percentages of up to70 % . The options include recycling directly into new building products, as light weight fill material or by incineration to recover its inherent energy content. The choice of a recycling method is based on technical, environmental and economic considerations. o Health Aspects EPS presents no dangers to health in installation and use. EPS doesn't scratch your hands nor does it irritate your skin or mucous membranes. Labour laws do not require gloves or masks to work with such a soft and solid material. EPS is biologically inert and doesn't produce any pathogenic dust, even on the long term. Thus EPS is safe for both installers and users. o Fulfils all fire and safety requirements All EPS building applications, as promoted by the European EPS industry, fulfil local building regulations in every European country. * Does the manufacture of expanded polystyrene have any impact upon the environment? EPS is one of the best insulation materials with respect to environmental impact. EPS does not and has never used CFCs or HCFCs in its manufacturing process. Therefore it does not damage the ozone layer. The environmental effects of the manufacture of EPS raw material (expandable polystyrene bead) and its conversion to EPS insulation material are small. LCA analysis by the Building Research Establishment, UK (BRE) places EPS at the best possible environmental ranking: A+ For further information please download the brochures: - "EPS The Environmental Truth: Results of the Life Cycle Assessment". - "Building a Better Environment with EPS". * Can expanded polystyrene be recycled? EPS can be recycled if it is recovered without contamination from other materials. EPS recycling options are in place today and EPS recycle is being used both economically and in an environmentally sound manner on a vast scale . The waste can be ground and mixed with fresh EPS to make new foamed products. Alternatively EPS can be melted and extruded to make compact polystyrene. This is used to manufacture items such as plant pots, coat hangers and wood substitutes or medium toughened polystyrene and for products from which sheet or thermoformed articles such as trays can be made. As part of a mixed plastic waste, EPS can be recycled to make, for example, fence posts and road signs, ensuring the plastic waste has a long and useful new life. Over its life cycle EPS production and recycling uses very little energy in comparison to other insulation materials. For further information please download the brochure: - "Building a Better Environment with EPS". * How does EPS behave in case of fire? Like practically all organic building materials polystyrene foam is combustible. However in practice its burning behaviour depends on the conditions under which it is used, as well as the inherent properties of the material. These inherent properties differ depending on whether the cellular material is made from EPS with or without a fire retardant additive. The bonding of other materials to cellular polystyrene also considerably affects its burning behaviour. When installed correctly, expanded polystyrene products do not present an increased fire hazard. It is strongly recommended that expanded polystyrene should always be protected by a facing material. For further information please download the brochure: - "Fire safe construction with EPS". * Where can I get an updated list of the main EPS converters and raw material producers in Europe? To get a complete list of EPS converters by country, please do interact with EUMEPS national associations. The main EPS raw material producers in Europe are listed here at the Plastics Europe website. * Where can I get further information or assistance about EPS use? www.americanplasticscouncil.org