Fast food packaging containing PFAS no longer sold in the United States, FDA says

Fast food wrappers and packages containing so-called forever chemicals are no longer sold in the United States, the Food and Drug Administration announced Wednesday.

It’s the result of a voluntary effort by U.S. food manufacturers to phase out food contact packaging made with PFAS, the acronym for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, which do not degrade and can harm health. human health.

Starting in 2020, the FDA got U.S. food manufacturers to commit to phasing out PFAS from packaging, boxes and bags coated to prevent grease, water and other liquids from seeping out.

Many fast food companies and other manufacturers, such as McDonald’s, stopped using packaging containing PFAS before the initial phase-out date, the agency added.

PFAS chemicals have been linked to health problems affecting cholesterol levels, liver and immune system function as well as certain types of cancer.

Getting rid of chemical packaging is a “big step in the right direction,” said Dr. Sheela Sathyanarayana, a professor of pediatrics at the UW Seattle School of Medicine who has studied PFAS chemicals found in food. breast milk and elsewhere.

Removing the packaging from the U.S. market eliminates “the primary source of food exposure” from certain food contact uses, the FDA said, but Sathyanarayana noted that there are “many sources of PFAS in our environment “.

Clean water is essential, Sathyanarayana said. Consumers concerned about PFAS levels can check maps maintained by the Environmental Protection Agency to see if their water is affected and obtain filters to remove the chemicals.

PFAS also accumulates in meat and dairy products, she said, and advises people to reduce their consumption of these foods. She also recommended avoiding certain indoor cleaning solvents or products treated with water-resistant chemicals, as well as removing shoes indoors to avoid finding PFAS in the home and washing shoes. hands before eating or preparing food.

“None of us can avoid it,” she said.

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