The chemical styrene is an essential component in the making of thousands of everyday products, providing strength, flexibility, and lightweight. Many products made from styrene contribute to increased personal health and safety. The Styrene Information & Research Center (SIRC) serves as a liaison between industry, federal and state governments, and international agencies on health-related issues involving styrene.

SIRC, headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, was formed in 1987 as the principal focal point for public information and research on styrene. SIRC is a non-profit organization consisting of voting member companies involved in the manufacturing or processing of styrene, and associate member companies that fabricate styrene-based products. Collectively, SIRC's membership represents approximately 95% of the North American styrene industry.

Styrenics and the U.S. Economy

The U.S. styrene industry is a diversified approximately $28-billion industry comprising hundreds of companies with thousands of facilities that provide directly some 128,000 well-paying jobs throughout the country.

It provides essential raw materials and products for nearly all major American industries, from automobiles and construction to electronics and packaging.

Manufacturers produce a wide variety of everyday goods from styrene-based resins ranging from cups and utensils to furniture, bathroom and kitchen appliances, hospital and school supplies, sports and recreational equipment, consumer electronics, automobile parts, and durable lightweight packaging of all kinds.

Major styrene manufacturing states include California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, and West Virginia.

The industry's more than 5,000 plants include manufacturers who produce or use: polystyrene (PS); acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS); styrene-acrylonitrile (SAN); styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR); styrene butadiene latexes (SBL); unsaturated polyester resins (UPR) (fiberglass resin).

The industry's annual payroll exceeds $4 billion. Styrene monomer and derivative polymer plants are worth nearly $9 billion. The industry contributes tax revenues of $7 billion annually. The industry contributes almost $540 million to the U.S. trade balance.

Styrene Information & Research Center

New Styrene Website!

SIRC has launched www.YouKnowStyrene.org to serve as a reliable, one-stop source of information on styrene and styrene-based products for consumers, educators, the media, industry employees and communities. Visit it today!

You Know Styrene website logo

What is Styrene?

styrene molecular

Styrene ['stī-,rēn] is a clear, colorless liquid that is a component of materials used to make thousands of everyday products for home, school, work and play. Styrene is used in everything from food containers and packaging materials to cars, boats, computers, and video games. Derived from petroleum and natural gas by-products, styrene helps create thousands of remarkably strong, flexible, and light-weight products, representing a vital part of the U.S. economy and quality of life.

The styrene used in these products is manufactured synthetically in petrochemical plants. However, styrene also occurs naturally in the environment and is present in many common foods, such as coffee, strawberries, and cinnamon.

Styrene Information & Research Center's Mission

SIRC’s mission is the collection, development, analysis and communication of pertinent information on styrene. The organization’s principal objectives are:

Styrene Brochure

Download a PDF of SIRC’s brochure: Styrene: Bringing Peace of Mind and Quality to Life

Styrene Uses and Benefits Brochure from SIRC

EMERGENCY LINK

CHEMTREC serves as a round-the-clock resource for obtaining immediate emergency response information for accidental chemical releases. CLICK THIS LINK to go to the CHEMTREC site.