Ingredient Index

Are PFAS in Food Packaging banned in Europe?

Banned in EU

Yes, by a law already on the books: the EU's 2025 Packaging Regulation bans food-contact packaging with intentionally added PFAS above strict thresholds from August 12, 2026; the US has no federal ban, relying on an FDA-brokered voluntary phase-out and a patchwork of state laws.

Also seen as: PFAS, Forever Chemicals, PFOA, PFOS

What the EU does

Banned, with the clock running. Regulation (EU) 2025/40 (the new Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, in force since February 2025) prohibits placing food-contact packaging on the EU market if PFAS are present above defined thresholds (25 ppb for a single measured PFAS, 250 ppb for the sum, 50 ppm total fluorine-based) from August 12, 2026, with no grandfathering for existing stock. Member states moved earlier: Denmark banned PFAS in food-contact paper and board in 2020.

Two precision notes. First, the named legacy compounds PFOA and PFOS were already banned in both the EU and US through the global Stockholm Convention process. Second, a far broader EU REACH restriction covering the entire PFAS class across all uses is still under ECHA review: proposed, not yet law.

Citation Regulation (EU) 2025/40 (PPWR), PFAS thresholds applicable from 12 August 2026

What the US does

No federal ban. The FDA's route was negotiation: manufacturers voluntarily withdrew grease-proofing PFAS used on fast-food wrappers and similar packaging, and the agency announced in February 2024 that those substances are no longer sold for US food-contact use. That covers the major intentional use, but it is a market commitment, not a rule.

The binding law is at state level: California, Maine, Minnesota, New York, Washington, and others prohibit intentionally added PFAS in food packaging, with more states phasing in. The result is a de facto patchwork ban that large national brands generally comply with everywhere.

Citation FDA announcement on PFAS grease-proofing phase-out (Feb 2024); state laws (CA AB 1200 et al.)

Products that commonly contain it

PFAS earned their place in packaging by repelling grease and water. They have been found in:

Microwave popcorn bags
Fast-food wrappers and clamshells
Pizza boxes (grease-resistant linings)
Molded-fiber "eco" bowls and takeout containers
Bakery and sandwich papers

What to look for on a label

Packaging carries no ingredient list, so use proxies:

"PFAS-free" certifications (e.g., GreenScreen Certified) on foodware
Grease resistance without any coating claim is the historical tell for fluorinated paper
Uncoated paper, foil, and rigid containers sidestep the issue
Heat plus grease plus long contact time is the exposure scenario worth minimizing

Or skip the squinting: paste the whole ingredient list into our checker and it flags everything in our database. Nothing you paste leaves your browser.

Frequently asked questions

Is PFAS banned in food packaging in Europe?

Yes: Regulation (EU) 2025/40 prohibits food-contact packaging with PFAS above strict thresholds from August 12, 2026, with no grandfathering. Some member states, led by Denmark in 2020, banned it earlier.

Is PFAS banned in food packaging in the United States?

Not federally. The FDA announced in 2024 that grease-proofing PFAS are no longer sold for US food packaging following a voluntary phase-out, and a growing list of states ban intentionally added PFAS outright.

Are PFOA and PFOS already banned?

Yes, globally: both are listed under the Stockholm Convention on persistent organic pollutants, which the EU implements directly. US production was phased out years ago, though legacy environmental contamination persists.

Why are PFAS called "forever chemicals"?

Their carbon-fluorine bonds are among the strongest in organic chemistry, so they persist in the environment and accumulate in blood. Persistence plus links to immune, developmental, and cancer endpoints for some compounds drives the regulatory momentum.

Related ingredients

Primary sources

Last reviewed June 10, 2026 · How we assign statuses