Compact Disc/DVD Packaging and Shipping Environmental Issues

The Packaging Problem: Current mainstream CD shipping practices involve bubble-wrap, made from toxic PVC (click here to learn more about the PVC issue) and or styrofoam, which is created by injecting the plastic polymer, polystyrene, with a gas-such as HCFC 22, CFC 11, or CFC 12 (all ozone destroying chlorofluorocarbons), or pentane-to expand it into that puffy material. Toxic and hazardous chemicals, including styrene, benzene and ethylene, are used to make PS foam and are a byproduct of PS foam production.

Solution: Earthology's interns/volunteers gather beautifully shaped dried maple, oak and other deciduous tree leaves each Autumn, which are used instead of styrofoam or bubblewrap. The mailers are made out of old disgarded maps that are turned into envelopes. This is an environmentally friendly alternative but also catches the eye of reviewers, record stores, and radio stations that we regularly ship to!

Polystyrene (PS), commonly known by the brand name Styrofoam, is a permanent, disposable material- it's designed to be used for only a few minutes, but it's expected to be entombed in our landfills for an eternity, long after the cockroaches have died off. PS foam is created by injecting the plastic polymer, polystyrene, with a gas-such as HCFC 22, CFC 11, or CFC 12 (all ozone destroying chlorofluorocarbons), or pentane-to expand it into that puffy material. Toxic and hazardous chemicals, including styrene, benzene and ethylene, are used to make PS foam and are a byproduct of PS foam production.

Each of these chemicals is among the nation's top 25 toxic air pollutants in terms of the total amount released into the environment each year. In addition, scientists indicate that 5% of the earth's ozone layer has already been damaged due to ozone destroying compounds like CFCs. Many manufacturers label their PS foam containers as "CFC free," but read the fine print. Usually these labels say the PS foam is no longer made with "fully halogenated" chlorofluorocarbons, which means that the CFC used previously has likely been replaced with an HCFC, which, though less damaging to the ozone layer, is still a CFC and an ozone destroyer.

Styrene is also a known neurotoxin and suspected carcinogen. The EPA reports that acute exposure to styrene can cause nervous system effects such as depression, loss of concentration, weakness, fatigue and nausea. Chronic exposure to high levels of styrene can cause health effects such as liver and nerve tissue damage. There is some evidence that styrene may even have the potential to cause cancer from a lifetime exposure at high levels. An EPA study examining Americans for styrene contamination found that 100% of the people sampled had styrene in their fat tissue.

Earthology Records
P.O. Box 367
Hinckley, MN 55037
Information@Earthology.net