When people say it breaks down, that doesn’t mean that it breaks down into nothing. Toxic compounds are released into the ocean, like styrene monomer, a suspected carcinogen, and bisphenol A (BPA), which has a wide range of negative health impacts including “chromosomal and reproductive system abnormalities, impaired brain and neurological functions, cancer, cardiovascular system damage, adult-onset diabetes, early puberty, obesity and resistance to chemotherapy. Exposure to BPA at a young age can cause genetic damage, and BPA has been linked to recurrent miscarriage in women.” Another commonly used and extremely toxic plastic is polyvinyl chloride (PVC), or #3 plastic, and according to Lifewithoutplastic.com, can contain up to 55% plasticizing additives. On a side note, plastics can contain thousands of possible additives, and manufacturers are not required to disclose what their recipes are. Generally, with #3 plastic, the additives are phthalate chemicals. Phthalates are known to disrupt the endocrine system, and have been linked to numerous health conditions including cancers. Certain phthalates have been banned in Europe and the U.S. for use in certain products, such as toys. These chemicals from plastics are found throughout the ocean. A Japan-based research team collected samples in waters from the U.S., Europe, India, Japan, and elsewhere. All the water samples were found to contain derivatives of polystyrene.