Food Packaging PFAS Policy; How is PFAS Legislation Shaping Packaging Worldwide in 2025
by Catherine Alford at 09:24 in Environmental, Packaging
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS, are a group of synthetic chemicals. The US Environment Protection Agency have identified and recorded nearly 15,000 synthetic chemicals that belong to the group. However, they have been shown to display extreme persistence within the environment and organisms, leading them to be dubbed 'forever chemicals'. PFAS are also found to be carcinogenic, toxic and have the ability to accumulate within organisms. So why would such substances be in food packaging?
Why is PFAS in food packaging?
Unfortunately, the chemical property that makes PFAS a 'forever chemical' also makes them perfect for packaging! They contain some of the strongest chemical bonds due to the presence of fluorine. This means that whilst they don't readily degrade, they are also resistant to heat, oil and water and can easily create thin and durable films. These characteristics make PFAS particularly amazing for food packaging when added to paper and cardboard, as it prevents the packaging weakening from food grease and moisture.
However, PFAS can leach out of packaging and either into food or the environment after end-of-life disposal. As the molecules are carcinogenic and toxic, this then poses a risk to human and environmental health. Therefore legislation has been emerging over recent years banning it's use.
Where is PFAS being restricted in food packaging?
Due to the harm PFAS can cause to the environment and health, many places are introducing legislation to restrict or ban PFAS from being intentionally added to food packaging. Some key points in PFAS legislation development:
The EU regulates PFAS in the new Regulation (EU) 2025/40 on packaging and packaging waste. This regulation states that from 12 August 2026 food-contact packaging shall not be placed on the market if it exceeds content limits of PFAS. Germany, Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands and Denmark have also proposed to the European Chemicals Agency that further bans or restrictions are put in place and is still currently being discussed.
The US has several states that have PFAS restrictions for food packaging in place, such as Vermont and Connecticut, as mentioned in our previous blog. Since then, other regulations have come into place. New Mexico have also passed legislation that will implement a phase-out of products with intentionally added PFAS. For food packaging this regulation will be effective from 1st January 2027. However, the federal bill 'Forever Chemical Regulation and Accountability Act of 2024' has not yet passed and is thought to be inactive.
Australia is set to implement their first nationwide measures for PFAS on 1st July 2025 through the Industrial Chemicals Environmental Management Standard. The standard prohibits the import, export and manufacture of certain PFAS substances, on their own or within articles, although this is not specific to food packaging. Currently, Queensland and New South Wales have implemented this standard.
Are there alternatives to PFAS?
There are potential alternatives to PFAS for food packaging. Any fluorine free alternatives could be added to paper or cardboard and not have the same persistence in the environment due to fluorine's absence. Several plant-based alternatives have been discussed such as plant saccharides, plant proteins or plant waxes. These are promising alternatives as they can mimic some of the useful properties of PFAS like resistance to water or oil and the ability to create films, without being toxic to the environment.
What's next?
PFAS have been found to pose environmental and health risks both due to their toxicity and the fact that they are 'forever chemicals'. This has led to legislation emerging globally within recent years restricting and banning their use within packaging. It is expected that this trend in PFAS legislation will continue as more countries will follow suit and ban its use. If you are interested in learning more about how PFAS legislation may affect your packaging, contact us today!
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