Polystyrene (PS) /plistarin/ is a synthetic aromatic polymer made from the

monomer styrene. Polystyrene can be solid or foamed. General purpose polystyrene

is clear, hard, and rather brittle. It is an inexpensive resin per unit weight. It is a
rather poor barrier to oxygen and water vapor and has a relatively low melting
point.[4] Polystyrene is one of the most widely used plastics, the scale of its
production being several billion kilograms per year.[5] Polystyrene can be naturally
transparent, but can be colored with colorants. Uses include protective packaging
(such as packing peanuts and CD and DVD cases), containers (such as
"clamshells"), lids, bottles, trays, tumblers, and disposable cutlery.[4]

Styrene, also known as ethenylbenzene, vinylbenzene, and phenylethene, is an

organic compound with the chemical formula C6H5CH=CH2. This derivative of
benzene is a colorless oily liquid that evaporates easily and has a sweet smell,
although high concentrations confer a less pleasant odor. Styrene is the precursor to
polystyrene and several copolymers. Approximately 25 million tonnes (55 billion
pounds) of styrene were produced in 2010.[3]
Styrofoam is a trademarked brand of closed-cell extruded polystyrene foam
currently made for thermal insulation and craft applications. It is owned and
manufactured by The Dow Chemical Company.[1]

In the United States and Canada, the word styrofoam incorrectly refers to expanded
(not extruded) polystyrene foam, such as disposable coffee cups, coolers, or
cushioning material in packaging, which is typically white and is made of expanded
polystyrene beads.[1] The term is used generically although it is a different material
from the extruded polystyrene used for Styrofoam insulation. The Styrofoam brand
polystyrene foam, which is used for craft applications, can be identified by its
roughness and the fact that it "crunches" when cut. Additionally, it is moderately
soluble in many organic solvents, cyanoacrylate, and the propellants and solvents of
spray paint. Another tradename for polystyrene foam is thermacol, originated by
BASF for expanded polystyrene.

-Carotene is a strongly colored red-orange pigment abundant in plants and fruits.

It is an organic compound and chemically is classified as a hydrocarbon and
specifically as a terpenoid (isoprenoid), reflecting its derivation from isoprene units.
-Carotene is biosynthesized from geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate.[6] It is a member
of the carotenes, which are tetraterpenes, synthesized biochemically from eight
isoprene units and thus having 40 carbons. Among this general class of carotenes,
-carotene is distinguished by having beta-rings at both ends of the molecule.
Absorption of -carotene is enhanced if eaten with fats, as carotenes are fat soluble.

Hydrofluorocarbons, or "super greenhouse gases," are gases used for refrigeration

and air conditioning, and known as super greenhouse gases because the combined
effect of their soaring use and high global warming potential could undercut the
benefits expected from the reduction of other greenhouse gases such as carbon
dioxide. Used as refrigerants, they were introduced by the chemical industry to
replace ozone destroying CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) which have (almost) been
phased out by the Montreal Protocol. However, HFCs production is rising by 15%
per year. HFCs are 3,830 times more potent than CO2 with a lifetime of 14 years.

A chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) is an organic compound that contains only carbon,

chlorine, and fluorine, produced as a volatile derivative of methane, ethane, and
propane. They are also commonly known by the DuPont brand name Freon. The
most common representative is dichlorodifluoromethane (R-12 or Freon-12). Many
CFCs have been widely used as refrigerants, propellants (in aerosol applications),
and solvents. Because CFCs contribute to ozone depletion in the upper atmosphere,
the manufacture of such compounds has been phased out under the Montreal
Protocol, and they are being replaced with other products such as
hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)[1] (e.g., R-410A), hydrocarbons,[2] and CO2. However,
these replacements are sometimes considered pollutants in their own right.[3]