PFAS in Food Packaging: Takeout Containers, Paper Straws, and "Compostable" Labels

PFAS in food packaging were once common in paper wrappers, molded fiber bowls, and pizza boxes, where they kept grease from soaking through. PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a family of thousands of synthetic chemicals, explained in our guide to forever chemicals. This article covers what has changed, what straw studies found, and how to recognize packaging made without PFAS.

At a Glance

• PFAS were used to grease-proof paper, such as burger wrappers, fiber bowls, and pizza boxes, so oil and water would not soak through.
• That use has ended in the US. The FDA announced in 2024 that PFAS grease-proofing agents are no longer sold for food packaging here, and several states ban intentionally added PFAS in food packaging.
• Paper straws often tested positive in studies, including 36 of 38 plant-based straw brands bought in 2020. Stainless steel straws had none in a 2023 study.
• A certified compostable label is a strong PFAS-free signal. BPI-certified products are tested at or below 100 ppm total fluorine, and California does not allow products containing PFAS to be labeled compostable.
• The clearest labels say "PFAS-free" or "no intentionally added PFAS," ideally with a certification or test result behind them.

Why Was PFAS Used in Food Packaging?

PFAS were used as grease-proofing agents: coatings or additives that stop grease, oil, and water from soaking through paper and paperboard. They mattered most on items that hold hot, oily food, such as wraps, plates, food boats, and pizza boxes, the first items Washington's state ban covered.

The FDA has called the end of grease-proofing PFAS the removal of "the primary source of exposure to PFAS from authorized food contact uses." That is why the changes below matter more than any single product.

Is PFAS Still in Food Packaging?

Not by design in US paper packaging: manufacturers have stopped selling PFAS grease-proofing agents for food packaging here. Traces can still turn up, so certifications and test results remain the easiest way to confirm a specific product.

The change happened in steps:

• Long-chain PFAS (eight or more carbons, such as PFOA) left US food packaging by 2016, when the FDA revoked the last authorizations.
• Short-chain replacements were phased out next. In July 2020, after the FDA raised safety questions about a related chemical called 6:2 FTOH (6:2 fluorotelomer alcohol), three manufacturers agreed to phase out their sales.
• In February 2024, the FDA announced that PFAS grease-proofing agents are no longer sold in the US for food packaging.
• In January 2025, the FDA declared 35 food contact notifications (the authorizations companies use to sell food contact substances) for these coatings no longer effective. Packaging made earlier had until June 30, 2025.

States set their own rules too. California, New York, Washington, Maine, Vermont, and several other states ban or restrict intentionally added PFAS in food packaging. California also counts packaging as containing PFAS when total organic fluorine reaches 100 parts per million (ppm), which is 0.01% by weight, so the rule covers PFAS that were not added on purpose.

The European Union went further. Since August 12, 2026, food packaging placed on the EU market must stay below 25 parts per billion (ppb) for any single PFAS, 250 ppb for their sum, and 50 ppm for total PFAS, including polymers.

These rules cover packaging. The FDA still authorizes a few other food contact uses of PFAS, such as nonstick cookware coatings and gaskets in food processing equipment.

Are Paper Straws PFAS-Free?

Many were not when researchers tested them. Both major studies bought their straws before the US phase-out was complete, so newer products may differ, and neither measured how much PFAS moved into a drink.

• A 2021 University of Florida study found PFAS in 36 of 38 brands of plant-based straws bought online in early 2020. The most common were PFBA, PFOA, and PFHxA.
• A 2023 study of 39 straw brands sold in Belgium found PFAS in 90% of paper brands, 80% of bamboo, 75% of plastic, and 40% of glass. None of the stainless steel straws contained any.

The Belgian researchers measured low levels and could not confirm where the PFAS came from, though they suspected at least some was a water-repellent coating. They described the risk from occasional straw use as limited. A reusable stainless steel straw avoids the question entirely.

Does "Compostable" Mean PFAS-Free?

A certified compostable label generally does. Certifiers exclude PFAS because they persist instead of breaking down, so they would stay in the finished compost.

BPI Certified Compostable

Covers: compostable foodware and packaging.
PFAS: since January 1, 2020, BPI requires a signed statement that no fluorinated chemicals were intentionally added, ingredient safety data sheets, and a test from a BPI-approved lab showing no more than 100 ppm total fluorine, a broad screen that counts all fluorine in the sample.
Note: products that did not meet the rule were removed from BPI's certified list at the end of 2019.

California's Compostable Label Law

Covers: any product sold in California labeled "compostable" or "home compostable."
PFAS: the label is not allowed on products that contain PFAS, and since 2024 the products must also be certified by a third party.
Note: outside California, the word "compostable" without a certification mark describes how a product breaks down, not what it is made of, so look for the mark.

How to Find PFAS-Free Food Packaging

1. Look for a compostability certification mark, such as BPI, and confirm the product is listed on the certifier's website.
2. Read the claim. "PFAS-free" or "no intentionally added PFAS" covers the whole family; "PFOA-free" covers only one chemical.
3. If you buy packaging for a business, ask the supplier for a signed declaration and a total fluorine or total organic fluorine result under 100 ppm.
4. Choose a reusable straw made of stainless steel if you use straws often.
5. For leftovers, move food into glass or stainless steel containers, which need no grease-resistant coating.

The Bottom Line

US paper food packaging is now made without PFAS grease-proofing agents, and certified compostable products add tested evidence on top. Look for a BPI or similar certification mark, "PFAS-free" or "no intentionally added PFAS" wording, and reusable stainless steel or glass where you can. Compare what each PFAS-free certification covers.

Sources

1. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Market Phase-Out of Grease-Proofing Substances Containing PFAS (updated 2025).
2. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA Determines Authorization for 35 Food Contact Notifications Related to PFAS Are No Longer Effective (2025).
3. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Authorized Uses of PFAS in Food Contact Applications (2025).
4. California Attorney General. Enforcement Advisory: AB 1200, PFAS in Cookware and Food Packaging (2023).
5. Steptoe. State of the States: PFAS Food Packaging Bans and Restrictions (2022).
6. European Union. Regulation (EU) 2025/40 on packaging and packaging waste, Article 5(5); and European Commission, Commission Notice C/2026/3084, section 5 (2026).
7. Timshina, A., Aristizabal-Henao, J. J., Da Silva, B. F., and Bowden, J. A. The last straw: Characterization of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in commercially-available plant-based drinking straws. Chemosphere (2021).
8. Boisacq, P., et al. Assessment of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in commercially available drinking straws using targeted and suspect screening approaches. Food Additives & Contaminants: Part A (2023).
9. Biodegradable Products Institute. Fluorinated Chemicals.
10. Office of Assemblymember Phil Ting. Governor Signs Ting Bills Targeting Harmful Forever Chemicals (2021).
11. TÜV Rheinland. USA: California Bans PFAS in Products Labeled Compostable or Home Compostable.