Ban Toxic PFAS

PFAS are a type of toxic chemical used in many of the products we come into contact with every day, including food packaging. That’s a problem because PFAS chemicals can leach out of packaging, into the food, and then into our bodies. Research has linked PFAS to serious health risks, including liver damage, birth defects and cancer. To make matters worse, PFAS have been given the nickname “forever chemicals” because they don’t break down in our bodies or in the environment. So the more they get used, the more they build up and the bigger risk they pose to our health.

Toxic chemicals in our food packaging

PFAS is a class of thousands of chemicals that are used in many of the products we come into contact with every day. A recent study found PFAS chemicals in take-out food packaging from six popular restaurant chains, and PFAS have also been found in microwave popcorn bags, and other food containers designed to resist grease and water.

Some types of PFAS have been linked to serious health effects, including cancer, liver damage and birth defects. At particular risk are pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers who can pass the chemicals to their babies through the placenta and breast milk, which can harm development in utero and potentially do long term harm. Because PFAS don’t break down it's possible for them to build up in our bodies and environment over time, increasing the chance of exposure and the risks to our health.

Given how long they last and what we know about their harmful effects, we should stop using PFAS, especially in food containers and wrappers.

Our approach

Our national network of state organizations are calling on their state legislature to pass bills to ban the use of PFAS in food packaging sold and used in their state. There is already some momentum behind this approach, with states such as Washington, New York and Maine taking action to eliminate PFAS in food packaging.

And the good news is that making the shift is possible, as there are existing alternatives to PFAS-treated food packaging. Not all “conventional” food packaging currently in use contains PFAS, and we know there are also more environmentally friendly options that do not contain PFAS.

Every day that we continue to use PFAS in our food packaging and other products, we're increasing our risk of exposure to these dangerous chemicals. We need to take action now to eliminate them from our products and stem the flow of toxic forever chemicals into our environment and our bodies.

Protecting you from toxic chemicals

Over the past 50 years, CALPIRG and our national network have been leaders in protecting public health from exposure to toxic chemicals in our communities. We’ve advocated for cleanup of toxic waste sites and won toxics right-to-know laws. We’ve helped ban flame retardants and bisphenol A (BPA) in children’s products, lead and other toxics in toys, and more than two dozen dangerous chemicals used in cosmetics. Our work has also led to more than 150 recalls and other enforcement actions of dangerous products. More recently, we helped convince states such as Massachusetts and California to eliminate other sources of PFAS, such as firefighting foam.

PFAS-free food packaging

Banning PFAS in food packaging will help protect Americans from exposure to PFAS in their food, reducing the risk of cancer and other serious diseases. It will also help us push for bans on PFAS in products throughout our economy and move us toward our vision of a future free of toxic PFAS chemicals.

GET INVOLVED

Support a ban on toxic PFAS

Tell your state legislators to protect our health by passing a bill that would ban toxic PFAS in food packaging sold or used in California.

ACT NOW

To protect consumers from exposure to toxic chemicals, state legislatures should ban toxic PFAS in food packaging.