PFAS and food packaging – FAQ

A new study has found that PFAS chemicals are being used in disposable food packaging from popular fast-food chains, takeaway restaurants, and supermarkets across Europe, including in the UK.

Disposable food packaging and tableware made of paper, board, and moulded plant fibre – such as fast-food bags, bakery bags, and pizza boxes – were purchased in six European countries (the UK, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, and the Netherlands) between May and December 2020. The samples were sent to laboratories in Denmark and the Czech Republic for chemical analysis.

The results show that PFAS chemicals are used to treat disposable paper bags and ‘compostable’ tableware used by high street retailers to package bakery products, sandwiches, and french fries and to serve food. The pizza boxes purchased in the UK were found to be contaminated with PFAS chemicals. This means that they were not intentionally treated with PFAS, and suggests that the food packaging production and supply chain is contaminated with PFAS.

Read more about the study and the results here and in the report: Throwaway Packaging, Forever Chemicals: European wide survey of PFAS in disposable food packaging and tableware. Read more about the results from the UK samples here.

These results build on a study published by Scottish NGO Fidra in February 2020. Fidra’s study also showed that PFAS chemicals were present in UK food packaging, including bakery bags, microwave popcorn bags and moulded plant fibre compostable takeaway boxes.

These results raise some questions about PFAS and food packaging, here are some frequently asked questions:

• What are PFAS?
• Should I be concerned about PFAS?
• What impact does PFAS have on the environment?
• What products contain PFAS?
• Are there other chemicals in food packaging that I should be concerned about?
• What is the UK Government doing on PFAS?
• What are retailers doing about PFAS?
• Should I avoid takeaway cookies, pastries and other baked goods?
• Should I avoid fast food?
• What should I do with ‘compostable’ tableware made of moulded plant fibre?
• Further information

PFAS, or per and polyfluorinated alkyl substances, are a family of over 4,500 synthetic chemicals. They are also known as the ‘forever chemicals’ because they are extremely persistent and do not break down easily in the environment.

They are used in a range of applications, including in consumer products such as food packaging, clothing and cosmetics. Before their manufacture in the late 1940s, no PFAS were present in the environment. Now they contaminate every corner of the globe, including in remote regions such as the Arctic. They have also been found in the blood of people and wildlife worldwide.

The short answer: Yes.

Some PFAS can be toxic to humans and some PFAS chemicals are bioaccumulative and can build up in our bodies. A number of PFAS have been linked to serious health concerns, including certain cancers, impacts on the immune, reproductive and hormone systems, as well as reduced response to vaccinations.

Thousands of PFAS chemicals are currently in use, and many of them are lacking proper data about their toxicity.

PFAS are known as ‘forever chemicals’ because of their extreme persistence in the environment. They are also extremely mobile in water. This means that once PFAS are released into the environment, they can be transported very long distances and pollute the environment for decades. PFAS have been found all around the world, including in remote areas such as the Arctic.

PFAS pose a threat to the health of wildlife. Studies have shown that chronic exposure to PFAS could affect:

• The brain, reproductive system and hormonal system of polar bears;
• The immune system and kidney and liver functions of bottlenose dolphins;
• The immune system of sea otters.

Disposable food packaging, such as bakery bags, sandwich wrappers and french fry bags, are intended to be used only once and then thrown away once the food has been consumed. So, while we may only use a bakery bag that contains PFAS for an hour while we have our lunch, the PFAS that leaches out of that bag, once it is thrown away, can remain in the environment for generations.

PFAS chemicals are used in a variety of products due to their ability to repel both grease and water. In addition to paper and cardboard food packaging, PFAS can be used in many other products, including:

• Non-stick cookware (such as frying pans)
• Textiles (such as waterproof outdoor clothing and equipment, carpets, mattresses)
• Cosmetics and toiletries (such as foundation, hair conditioner, sunscreen, dental floss)
• Electronics (such as smartphones)

They are also used in other specific applications such as fire-fighting-foams, a special foam used to extinguish some fires.

In Europe alone, some 8,000 chemicals can be used in food packaging and other food contact materials (such as cookware, cutlery, or pipes used in food production). Many of these chemicals have been associated with harmful impacts on our health and can pollute our environment.

In addition to PFAS, specific chemicals to be aware of include bisphenols and phthalates.

Bisphenols are a group of chemicals used in the production of plastics, including plastics food packaging. The most well-known bisphenol is BPA, a chemical often used in plastic food containers, plastic water bottles made of polycarbonate (such as those used for water coolers in offices), and the linings of food cans. BPA is an endocrine disruptor and has been linked to obesity, reproductive diseases and some cancers. Companies have started to use other bisphenols, but these chemicals also raise health concerns.

Phthalates are a group of chemicals used in some food packaging, such as plastic food wrap, to make it soft and durable. Some phthalates are endocrine disruptors and have been linked to reproductive problems.

See our webpage, ‘Food, food packaging and cooking’ for more information on harmful chemicals in food packaging and how to avoid them.

The UK Government has identified PFAS as a priority group for action and asked the Health & Safety Executive and the Environment Agency to investigate the risks of PFAS and consider how to manage them.

But some countries have already taken action on these chemicals. Denmark has already banned PFAS from all paper and cardboard food packaging. Five EU countries (Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Denmark) are currently working on a proposal to restrict the non-essential use of all PFAS in the EU. The European Commission committed to phasing out PFAS in all non-essential uses (including food packaging) in its Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability. In the US, 11 States are considering action to ban PFAS in food packaging.

CHEM Trust and other organisations are therefore calling on the UK Government to act now to phase out all PFAS chemicals from non-essential uses.

See how you can take action here.

CHEM Trust contacted the UK retailers whose packaging was tested as part of this study prior to publication of the report. Two retailers have responded: McDonald’s and Co-op.

A spokesperson from McDonald’s said:

“In January this year, we were proud to announce another step in our product stewardship journey with our commitment to remove all added fluorinated compounds from our guest packaging materials globally by 2025. 

This builds on earlier actions including the elimination of a significant subset of PFAS in 2008 and the removal of BPA/BPS and phthalates in 2013 and 2015, respectively. We are a business that continues to push itself and we are working hard to beat our own 2025 ambition.

All McDonald’s packaging materials are compliant with FDA, EU and all local regulatory bodies and we are continuously monitoring, testing and innovating on all packaging materials in partnership with our suppliers to ensure they are safe for customers and the environment.”

Cathryn Higgs, Head of Policy at Co-op said:

“Co-op is committed to designing own-brand products with quality, sustainability and health in front of mind, ensuring our packaging is created in a responsible way.  We are actively working on how to remove PFAS from the very small number of own-brand products affected.”

This study found PFAS in some paper bakery bags and wrappings that are used to package cookies, pastries, sandwiches and other baked goods. The concern here is that the PFAS could transfer from the packaging to the baked goods, exposing us to these chemicals when we eat them. PFAS chemicals can also enter the environment during the production of the packaging, and when the packaging is thrown away.

If you want to enjoy such foods, for the benefit of both your health and the environment, we recommend bringing your own reusable containers to bakeries and cafes. Glass and stainless-steel containers are good options.

This study found PFAS in french fry bags and burger wrappers, and contamination of PFAS in pizza boxes and burger boxes. The concern here is that the PFAS could transfer from the packaging to the food, exposing us to these chemicals when we eat them. PFAS chemicals can also enter the environment during the production of the packaging, and when the packaging is thrown away.

Eating fast foods has been linked to an increased exposure to certain harmful chemicals such as PFAS and phthalates. A US study found that the more take-aways people ate, the more phthalates there were in their bodies. Processed foods may contain more harmful chemicals than fresh foods, as chemical additives are added during the production process.

Eating less fast food can therefore help to reduce your risk of exposure to harmful chemicals.

When cooking at home, try to avoid using non-stick pans as these can be treated with PFAS. If the pans are overheated or chipped, PFAS can leach from the non-stick coating into your food. There are alternative PFAS-free cookware available on the market, so we recommend opting for these where possible.

This study found PFAS in tableware made from moulded plant fibre (e.g., bowls, plates and food boxes), that was purchased from retailers in several EU countries. This packaging is often advertised as biodegradable and compostable, however the fact that they are treated with non-biodegradable, highly persistent PFAS chemicals contradicts this claim.

These results build on findings from Scottish NGO Fidra’s study, published in 2020, which found PFAS chemicals in moulded plant fibre tableware purchased in the UK.

Our recommendation is to not dispose of moulded plant fibre packaging compostables into compost waste bins or your home composts, as they may be heavily treated with PFAS chemicals.

• Avoiding endocrine disruptors in food, food packaging and cooking
• CHEM Trust briefing ‘PFAS ‘the forever chemicals’: invisible threats from persistent chemicals’
• FAQ on PFOA and the film ‘Dark Waters’
• Report from Fidra ‘Forever chemicals in the food aisle: PFAS content of UK supermarket and takeaway food packaging’