Fire Research identified 57 toxins with polystyrene

combustion
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The National Bureau of Standards Center for Fire Research identified 57 chemical byproducts released
during the combustion of polystyrene foam. The process of making polystyrene pollutes the air and creates
large amounts of liquid and solid waste.

Styrene (vinyl benzene) is the feed stock used to

manufacture polystyrene. A neurotoxin, Styrene impairs the central and peripheral nervous systems.
Exposure to Styrene in the workplace has also been associated with chromosomal aberrations, so it is
considered a mutagen. In a study of 12 breast milk samples from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Louisiana,
75% were contaminated with styrene amongst other hazardous chemicals.

Recent studies of Styrene distribution in human tissue have startling results. Long term exposure (3.2 to 10
years) to small quantities of styrene (1 to 10 parts/million, whereas a person manufacturing polystyrene may
receive 50 to 100 ppm over an 8 hr. period) cause a wide spectrum of adverse health effects including
neurotoxic, hematological (low platelet and hemoglobin values), cytogenetic (chromosomal and cytogenic
abnormalities) and carcinogenic effects. Neurotoxic effects include fatigue, nervousness, difficulty sleeping,
poor performance on memory and stimuli response tests and nerve conduction velocity abnormalities. Other
effects include low platelet and hemoglobin values, chromosomal and lymphatic abnormalities at levels
below 50 ppm.

Neurotoxic damage is as serious if not more

serious than carcinogenic impact. Chemicals like styrene are known to indiscriminately attack tissue and
the nervous systems. With growing evidence that ailments like Parkinson's Disease are linked to man-made
toxins, the public should take all necessary steps to reduce exposure to neurotoxins. Parkinson's Disease may
not often kill people, but this degenerative brain disorder will rob a person of intelligence and hamper
speech, walking, and the ability to perform simple tasks.

A study of neurotoxicity of toluene and styrene notes that these "aromatic hydrocarbons have unsuspected
long lasting neuological effects. The accumulation of these highly lipid-soluble materials in the lipid-rich
tissues of the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves was apparently correlated with acute or chronic
functional impairment of the nervous system.

mergency Management and Response—Information

Sharing and Analysis Center
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Hydrogen Cyanide Dangers

During the past few years, the Emergency Management and Response—Information Sharing and
Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC) observed that much attention has been given to the risks of carbon
monoxide (CO) poisoning associated with fires. In a FireEngineering.com article, the author
asserted that hydrogen cyanide (HCN) dangers are not sufficiently recognized like CO, despite
being as much a threat to emergency responders and victims encountering fire smoke.

According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Occupational Safety and Health
Administration sources, HCN is a by-product of the combustion of materials used in
merchandise found in everyday life such as insulation, carpets, clothing, and synthetics. It is
actually more toxic than CO and enters the body by absorption, inhalation, or ingestion. “HCN
can incapacitate a victim within a short amount of time.”

“First responders and victims who inhale HCN within smoke often experience cognitive
dysfunctions and drowsiness that can impair the ability to escape or to perform rescue
operations. Exposures to low concentrations may result in stupor, confusion, flushing, anxiety,
perspiration, headache, and drowsiness. Exposures to higher concentrations result in prostration,
tremors, cardiac arrhythmia, coma, respiratory depression, respiratory arrest, and cardiovascular
collapse.”
For the consideration of emergency departments and agencies:

 Develop and institute a training program that focuses on making members aware of the
HCN hazards at fires.

 Enforce compliance with mandatory mask regulations.

  Train for difficult operations such as climbing ladders, working on roofs, and
communicating while on air with a breathing apparatus.

 Wash and rinse turnout gear after every fire.

 Shower and change uniforms upon return to the station after each conflagration.

 Keep the possibility of HCN poisoning in mind when presented with a smoke inhalation
victim.

Alert the public regarding the dangers of HCN poisoning resulting from the burning of many
commonly used manufactured goods.
oxic Chemicals and their Effects
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Toxic Chemicals and their Effects

Evidence is building about the effects of our toxic

environment on our long-term health and toxins' role in chronic diseases. Although scientists have known for
quite some time that pollution and pesticides can adversely affect human health, mounting evidence reveals
far more deadly connections between toxic exposure and a variety of diseases. The most disturbing discovery
is that chronic exposure to even low levels of common toxins can have negative health effects as the toxins
accumulate over time, damaging the neurological, immune, and endocrine systems.

To complicate matters, many governments and health organizations do not seem to be addressing this serious
problem. Without accountability and clean-up programs, the toxic exposure overload continues to spiral out
of control.

The following are frequently asked questions about toxins.

1. What are toxins?

Toxins are generally defined as anything in our environment with the potential to negatively affect the health
and function of the body. These dangerous foreign substances can be consumed through polluted food or
water, breathed in through the air, or absorbed through the skin. They may be organic biotoxins or inorganic
toxins such as poisonous chemicals and other toxic man-made substances. Ultimately, all toxins take a
serious toll on our health and can even cause cancer. The damage can result quickly from exposure to a large
or very concentrated dangerous toxin, but more often, it, results from a gradual accumulation of smaller
amounts of less-potent toxins from a variety of sources, often referred to as "chronic toxic overload."

2. What are the most common sources of toxins?

Perhaps more troubling than the sources of these toxins is the prevalence of toxins. We now come in contact
with more toxins than ever before. It is estimated that we are exposed to more than 100,000 toxins in our
environment, a quarter of which are known to cause cancer. In one year alone, the EPA estimated that 1.9
billion pounds of chemicals ended up in our water supplies, and 2.4 billion were released into the
atmosphere. Meanwhile, the National Research Council (NRC) recently estimated that a shocking 70,000
commercially-used chemicals have not even been tested for toxic effects.

This constant bombardment puts our body in a state of chronic toxic overload, which puts us at risk for
several diseases. The most common types of toxins that may affect our health include:

Dioxins: Notorious for their harmful effects on hormones and the endocrine system, these byproduct
pollutants are widespread and linger for years in the environment.

Furans: The result of plastic production, these toxins are considered very toxic to the endocrine system and
are believed to have cancer-causing effects.

Heavy metals: There are over twenty toxic heavy metals to which we are commonly exposed. Of greatest
concern are mercury, arsenic, lead and cadmium, whose affects range from developmental abnormalities and
behavioral disorders to cancer.

Mercury is found in dental amalgam, infant and adult vaccines, many types of fish, thermometers and
fluorescent lights to name a few sources. Coal-fired power plants are the number one source of mercury
emissions into the air world-wide.

Arsenic is a common contaminant of water, especially near mining activities, and has
been for decades, to manufacture "preserved wood" building materials. Lead is common toxin released
during mining and petrochemical manufacturing processes.

Cadmium exposure has increased rapidly over the past few decades, with cigarette smoke being a major
source. Even low levels may contribute to kidney disease and bone disorders.

PCBs: Polychlorinated biphenyl, a class of toxic aromatic compounds. Although banned in the U.S. in 1976,
these industrial chemicals can linger in the environment for decades and have been linked to cancer and
disorders of the nervous system.

Pesticides: Although largely banned, pesticides such as organochlorine insecticides, DDT, and others tend to
accumulate in the environment and have been linked to adverse reproductive health and cancer.
Organophosphate insecticide metabolites are known to be potent nervous system poisons and are found in
foods.

Phthalates: Found in several health and beauty products, as well as some children's toys, these toxins were
recently banned in Europe and have been known to cause male reproductive birthdefects.

Volatile and semi-volatile organic chemicals: These industrial solvents (also found in gasoline) negatively
affect the nervous system and have been linked to cancer.

3. Why are toxins a threat to my health?

The fact that toxins can be dangerous to our health has been known for quite some time, but our
understanding of how exactly low-level toxic exposure threatens our health, and to what extent, is only now
being discovered. Research on the detrimental health effects of toxins connects even a little exposure over
time to chronic and life-threatening diseases. The danger of toxins lies in the fact that they are invisible, so
are not easily avoided; likewise, their effects do not surface
immediately, so the damage done does not necessarily deter repeat exposure. But just because a toxin won't
cause immediate death or severe organ shutdown doesn't mean it is less dangerous or that the body is any
better equipped to deal with it. Basically, when a body's toxic load becomes greater its ability to adapt to it,
its health suffers.

Recent research on the long term health effects of what have previously been deemed as “relatively
harmless" toxins is more than just a little worrisome. Scientists are discovering that continued exposure to
common, "non-lethal" toxins can negatively affect major body systems. In fact, Britain's Environmental
Toxins Foundation recently stated that there is "mounting evidence of structural and genetic damage,
potentially caused to the human morphology, through the huge influx of chemical agents found in the air,
soil and water today."

Consider the following: In a recent study, more than 160 environmental toxins were discovered in the
collective blood and urine of test subjects. Of these toxins, over 75 were identified as cancer causing, more
than half were known to damage the brain and nervous system.

4. What is toxic overload and what are its symptoms?

The acute effects of toxic exposure can be prominent, but more often, toxic effects build slowly over time. In
fact, one recent study found that subjects tested positive for more than 90 pollutants and industrial chemicals
after blood and urine tests, even though none of the individuals studied worked or lived near high-risk
industrial areas. In another study from the CDC, subjects tested positive for more than 116 chemicals, many
of them banned at least two decades prior because of their health risks.

Because chronic toxic overload happens over time, the effects of exposure may be overlooked. In fact, many
symptoms of chronic toxic overload are associated with other conditions and so are misdiagnosed. Chronic
contact with toxins, even sources that aren't considered dangerous, will eventually take its toll on the body.
Immuno-toxicity may surface as asthma, allergies, chronic infections, or cancer, while neuro-toxicity may
appear in the form of dementia, decreased cognition, mood disorders, or memory problems. Signs of
endocrine toxicity include problems with libido, reproduction, menses, metabolism, insulin resistance, or the
body's inability to handle physical and emotional stress.

Symptoms vary from person to person, but in general, symptoms commonly associated with achronic
toxic overload state include:
5. What conditions are linked to toxin overload?

Scientific data now shows that recurring exposure to toxins -- even in small doses -- damages the immune system,
increases cardiovascular disease and cancer risks, interferes with essential enzyme activity in the body, affects
hormone balance and cell growth, and inhibits brain function. Below is a short list of some health conditions
(diseases) that are linked to toxin overload:

Ultimately, what researchers are discovering is that by reducing our exposure to pollutants and toxins and
eliminating toxic buildup in the body, we lower our risk of developing numerous diseases, which results in
more energy, improved overall health, longevity, and-a greater sense of well-being.

6. Is there research that provides definitive proof of toxins' role in causing disease?

The research linking chronic disease to toxins continues to build, and the results of these studies
are more than a little unsettling. Lead exposure alone has been linked to cancer, cardiovascular disease, stroke, heart
attacks, renal failure, osteoporosis, and macular degeneration.

In a 2005 article published in Alternative Therapies titled "Metals in Medicines” the authors citednumerous examples
of how new links between heavy metals and disease are leading the medical community to change its approach to
disease and wellness and to increase awareness about these threats.