US experts recommend listing styrene as a human carcinogen
An expert panel convened by the US Department of Health and Human Services - National Toxicity Programme (NTP) has recommend listing the chemical styrene as reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen.
Styrene is used worldwide in the production of polymers that are incorporated into rubber, plastic, insulation, fibreglass, pipes, automobile parts, food containers and carpet backing. The international styrene industry has an annual turnover of about € 66 billion / USD60 billion from thousands of companies throughout the world.
After receiving oral public comments from a number of groups, the expert panel carried out an in-depth review of a draft background document on styrene. Following completion of the peer review, the expert panel discussed the scientific evidence regarding the carcinogenicity of styrene and recommended that styrene be listed in the NTP 12th Report on Carcinogens (RoC) as reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen based upon sufficient evidence from studies in experimental animals and limited evidence from studies in humans.
Next, the NTP will solicit public comment on the expert panel's listing recommendation and scientific justification through the US Federal Register and finalize the background document, taking into consideration the panel's recommended edits and public comments.
Further details of the meeting are available at...
http://www.niehs.nih.gov/news
The draft document reviewed by the expert panel can be downloaded at...
http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/files/Styrene_Whole_Document.pdf [3MB]