Since about 1960 the FDA has allowed the Food Industry to put Styrene as a synthetic flavoring substance and adjuvant in our food supply without notifying the American public and not labeling it in the ingredients of the food. Styrene was first added to foods aimed at Children but, over the years was added to most processed foods without labeling.
At about the same time Polystyrene containers were introduced. At first it was mostly cups but, over time around the 1990's Polystyrene containers where used for most of our Food containers. This leached more Styrene into our Food.
Again in the 1960's plastic bottles replaced glass bottles for food containers. But, it took until the early 1990's before plastic bottles replaced glass bottles in the soda industry. Styrene is the primary ingredient in the making of plastic.
Notice that the early 1990's is when Health Care for all diseases associated with Styrene becomes more prevalent across all nationalities. The more disease rises the more Health Care cost.
Now the world is dealing with MicoPlastic in our Food Supply. Since 2012 researchers have found MicoPlastic in our food supply. Over the last few years researchers have found that there are MicoPlastic's in meats not just seafood which is where MicoPlastic's were first found. In October 2018 Scientists have discovered up to nine different types of plastic in the feces of every person who took part in a Europe-wide study.
Let's look at 3 major epidemics that Polystyrene/Styrene cause: Autism, Diabetes and Depression that has affected the Health of generations within the last 60 years.
There are approximately 4 Million babies born in the United States every year (some years more and some years less) every year there Health is worse with higher levels of Styrene in their body when born.
In the late 1980's and early 1990's the Autism rate was 1 in every 2000 children. So if we do the Math it would be 4,000,000 divided by 2000 which equals 2000 children born with Autism in those years.
In 2012 the Autism rate was 1 in every 88 children. Doing the Math: 4,000,000 divided by 88 which equals 45,454.55 children born with Autism in that year..
In 2018 the Autism rate was 1 in every 59 children. Doing the Math: 4,000,000 divided by 59 which equals 67,796.61 children born with Autism in that year.
Even if 50% of people with Autism work either a Full-time job or a part time job that stills leaves 50% that need to be cared for by Social Security Disability, Medicare, Medicaid or other Social programs. This will cost taxpayers not the Industry that manufactures and uses Styrene which caused the increase of Autism.
Consider this, in the late 1980's and early 1990's 1,000 children would be cared for by Government programs. In 2012 the number of children went up to 22,727 being cared for by Government programs. In 2018 the number of children is expected to increase to 33,898 being cared for by Government programs.
Most Diabetes 2 comes on after the age of 30 but, has been starting to be diagnosed earlier in the teens and twenties.
CDC records start in 1958 and diagnosed diabetes was 1.6 million and the Population that Year was 174.88 million. Doing the math 174.88 million divided by 1.6 million equals 1 in every 109 people had Diabetes in 1958.
From 1958 to 1968 Diabetes diagnoses risen by no more than 160,000 cases per year or 1,600,000 for Ten years. Between 2014 and 2015 Diabetes diagnoses risen 1,400,000 in just that one year. Doing the math 321.04 million (the Population) divided by 23.35 million (diagnosed diabetes) equals 1 in every 14 people had Diabetes in 2014 to 2015.
This information found at CDC.gov
Now if we look at the 2017 CDC Report It states that "More than 100 million U.S. adults are now living with diabetes or prediabetes".
This is the Statistics for 2017 to 2020
Doing the Math with the prediabetes added to the diagnosed diabetes gives us a more accurate number of Americans with diabetes. In 2017 the Population was 325.72 million divided by adults are now living with diabetes or prediabetes of 100 million equals 1 in every 3 Americans are living with Diabetes or Prediabetes in 2017.
Diabetes has many side effects that are life altering / ending and can cost taxpayers because Social Security picks up the bill when complications occur and a person cannot work.
Social Security pays for these Diabetes Medical Complications:
1) nephropathy (kidney disease)
2) neuropathy (nerve damage) in feet or hands that disrupts your ability to stand, walk, or use your hands
3) retinopathy (eye and vision problems)
4) cellulitis and other skin infections
5) hypertension (high blood pressure)
6) heart disease cardiovascular-problems
7) stroke
8) gastroparesis (a type of nerve damage that interferes with digestion)
9) peripheral arterial disease (reduced blood flow to your limbs)
10) depression
11) Obesity is also closely linked to Diabetes.
Insurance Companies did not pay for Mental Illness or take its implications to overall health serious in the past. Depression is a mental illness that is hard to be treated for and is chronic.
Therefore, Depression is one of the reasons why people self medicate and is one of the major reasons for the opiate epidemic today. In 2016, only an estimated 6.9% of adults with mental illness and substance abuse disorder received the mental health and substance abuse care they needed.
I could not find any CDC records pertaining to long term Depression Statistics.
However,in the short term the number of Americans who say they've taken an antidepressant over the past month rose by 65 % between 1999 and 2014. This suggest in 2014, about one in every eight Americans over the age of 12 reported recent antidepressant use according to CDC.
Depression and suicide are linked, with an estimate that up to 60 percent of people who commit suicide having major depression
Suicide, addiction, and depression have a very close and interconnected relationship. More than 6 times more likely of people who fall victim to suicide suffer from depression, have a substance abuse disorder, or both. Depression and substance abuse combine to form a vicious cycle that all too often leads to suicide.
Since 2008, suicide has ranked as the 10th leading cause of death for all ages. Although the CDC states "Mental health conditions are often seen as the cause of suicide, but suicide is rarely caused by any single factor. In fact, many people who die by suicide are not known to have a diagnosed mental health condition at the time of death. Other problems often contribute to suicide, such as those related to relationships, substance use, physical health, and job, money, legal, or housing stress".
If you have not noticed the list for suicide that the CDC gives are prime reasons for Depression which is treated as a mental illness.
When it comes to chemicals like Styrene added to our food supply the CDC has no Statistics on Depression or any other Health affect that the chemical is known to cause.
With all the ways the FDA has allowed Styrene into our food supply Knowing that Depression and other Health Concerns was and is a major side affect is appalling.
The most critical point of this information is there are about 4 Million Babies Born in the United States Every Year and there are Over 4 million People applying for Social Security Disability Every Year with Work related and many Other reasons like described.
The FDA should not take years, nor should it not take an act of Congress for the FDA to Protect the Health of the American People from chemicals like Styrene and many others.
Yet here we are!