‘Forever chemicals’ are turning food into poison for people, environment

MANILA, Philippines—In a world where single-use convenience meets eco-conscious creativity, paper, cardboard, and plant-based molded fiber food containers and tableware have taken center stage. Fast-food chains, restaurants, and households alike embrace their versatile utility, especially during the holidays.

However, beneath their eco-friendly veneer lies a secret menace: the presence of “forever chemicals.” A recently released study revealed that these chemicals — which have been linked to cancer, infertility, and endocrine disruption — lurk within the innocent folds of our disposable food packaging.

The International Pollutants Elimination Network (IPEN) — a global network of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in over 12 countries that are dedicated to the common aim of eliminating pollutants, harmful chemicals, and other toxins — conducted a study to assess PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) use and unintentional contamination in paper, cardboard, and plant-based food packaging and tableware.

The study tested single-use food packaging samples from 17 countries in Africa, Europe, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Asia — including the Philippines. IPEN said the research was conducted in a bid to contribute significantly to the worldwide effort to ban all PFAS substances universally.

What is PFAS?

PFAS are a group of chemicals used widely in everyday products, despite concerns about their impact on health and the environment.

According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the United States (US), PFAS have been approved for use in specific food contact applications since the 1960s. Certain PFAS are employed in cookware, food packaging, and food processing due to their non-stick property and resistance to grease, oil, and water.

“To ensure food contact substances are safe for their intended use, the FDA conducts a rigorous scientific review before they are authorized for the market,” the FDA explained.

IPEN stressed that the special grease-resistant properties of PFAS are particularly favored by the paper and molded fiber industry to create food packaging and single-use tableware that resist grease and water.

The special properties of PFAS are crucial for various items like baking paper, cupcake cups, bakery bags, fast-food containers, take-away packaging, microwave popcorn bags, and even compostable tableware.

All PFAS have also been found to be highly stable and resistant to decomposition due to their very strong chemical bonds between carbon (C) and fluorine (F) atoms. This is why they’re sometimes called “Forever Chemicals.”

Strikingly, research has shown that PFAS are released into the environment throughout their lifecycle, from manufacturing to use and disposal. This continuous release and their lasting presence lead to increasing levels of PFAS in the environment over time.

However, information about the presence and amount of PFAS in these products is often not disclosed, leaving consumers unaware of their exposure.

PFAS found in food packaging

The study collected and examined a total of 199 samples, comprising various food packaging items such as:

• fast-food wrappers
• take-away cardboard boxes
• microwave popcorn bags
• single-use plant-based tableware
• recycled paper packaging for non-greasy food
• baking papers
• coffee cups

Tests for 58 specific PFAS and for extractable organic fluorine (EOF), a measurement that correlates with the use of any PFAS, were conducted.

EcoWaste Coalition, a group campaigning for safe products, said among the groups that took part in the study in South and Southeast Asia were Environmental and Social Development Organization (Bangladesh), Toxics Link (India),  Center for Public Health and Environmental Development (Nepal), EcoWaste Coalition and Interfacing Development Interventions for Sustainability (Philippines), and the Taiwan Watch Institute (Taiwan).

The tests found that:

• Of 119 samples tested, 64 (53.8%) contained PFAS or had EOF levels indicating the presence of PFAS
• Molded products made from plant-based fibers (e.g. bowls, plates, and food boxes) advertised as biodegradable or compostable consistently had the highest levels of PFAS
• Microwave popcorn bags were most likely to contain PFAS among all types of packaging.
• Twelve samples of non-grease-resistant, recycled paper packaging were tested, with four showing unintentional contamination by PFAS. This demonstrates that recycled paper may pose a threat to a circular economy and may decrease the credibility of recycling.
• Only 2% of positive sample extracts could be linked with specific PFAS, demonstrating the challenges of chemical traceability and regulation without labeling.

“PFAS are widely used in single-use food packaging and tableware, especially for fast food, and people are exposed when they eat PFAS-packaged food,” said Jitka Straková, IPEN global researcher and lead author of the study.

“Since fast food is especially popular among youth, and PFAS can disrupt the bodies’ natural hormones, there is a serious concern that young people may be impacted at critical periods of development,” Straková said.

“The food industry needs to quickly phase out PFAS, and governments should move swiftly toward a global ban on PFAS as a group to stop environmental releases of and human exposure to PFAS,” Straková added.

Why is it so concerning?

According to IPEN, PFAS are known to migrate from food packaging into food, and consumption of food that was packed in PFAS-treated paper (such as microwave popcorn and meals from fast-food/pizza restaurants) has been shown to be associated with PFAS levels in human blood.

“[C]onsumers are exposed to PFAS that migrate from the packaging to the food, and the exposure increases with more frequent consumption,” IPEN explained.

An article previously published by The Guardian noted that in recent decades, PFAS exposure has been linked to a growing list of health problems.

“Accumulation of certain PFAS has also been shown through blood tests to occur in humans and animals. While the science surrounding potential health effects of bioaccumulation is developing, exposure to some types of PFAS have been associated with serious health effects,” the FDA further noted.

Studies also found that PFAS can be “readily absorbed” by the intestine and enter the circulatory system or accumulate directly at intestinal sites, which could interact with the intestine and cause the destruction of the intestinal barrier.

Among the dreadful impacts of PFAS on the human body, according to IPEN, were:

• increase risk of thyroid disease
• increase blood cholesterol levels
• decrease the body’s response to vaccines
• increase risk of high blood pressure and preeclampsia
• increase risk of kidney cancer
• decrease fertility in women
• increase risk of testicular cancer
• lower infant birth weight

Not-so environment friendly

Various health and environmental advocates likewise raised concerns about the environmental impact of PFAS found in food packaging and single-use tableware, especially those that are marketed as “green” or “environmentally friendly.”

“The widespread use of PFAS and their persistence in the environment means that PFAS from past and current uses have resulted in increasing levels of contamination of the air, water, and soil,” the FDA said.

IPEN stressed that the continued utilization of PFAS in disposable food packaging and tableware — which are meant to be used for a very short time and then thrown away — contrasts with the extreme persistence of all PFAS chemicals.

“Disposable takeaway packaging are single-use items meant to be thrown away once the food was consumed. Single-use packaging is produced and disposed of in large amounts to meet fast-food and takeaway market demands,” IPEN wrote.

“Thus, the extensively produced and discarded packaging materials contribute to indirect exposure related to environmental contamination with PFAS both during the manufacture of the products and after their disposal,” it added.

Citing previous studies, IPEN said factories that produce paper treated with PFAS release these chemicals into the air and wastewater, causing pollution in the nearby environment.

“Moreover, plant-based molded fiber packaging and tableware sold as compostable could lead to PFAS-contaminated compost, leading to an accumulation of PFAS in crops grown in soil treated with that compost,” IPEN said.

“Compost that includes single-use packaging and tableware may be hazardous due to high concentrations of PFAS.”

What now?

Given the health and environmental concerns associated with PFAS or “forever chemicals,” the researchers said it is important to stress that PFAS in food packaging are “non-essential.”

IPEN likewise said viable alternatives are readily available, and many companies are prepared to discontinue their use.

“They should be banned, and non-PFAS safer alternatives should be used instead. Only a global ban of the entire class of PFAS and the application of analytic methods enabling screening of the entire PFAS class (e.g., total organic fluorine) is an effective measure to reduce human exposure and releases of highly persistent PFAS into the environment,” IPEN said.

Based on study findings, the International Pollutants Elimination Network (IPEN) called on national governments to:

• Immediately ban all PFAS uses in food contact materials and other consumer products.
• Support the development of a universal (covering all PFAS, including fluorinated polymers and side-chain fluorinated polymers) ban on PFAS and its full implementation.
• Require chemical and material transparency for products.
• Plan and promote economic incentives, financial support, and subsidies to facilitate the transition to PFAS-free alternatives, while ensuring a just transition for affected workers and communities.
• Resource and improve the analytical capacities of customs departments to identify imported items containing or contaminated with PFAS.

Fast-food chains and food retailers were also asked to:

• Adopt and implement a public policy with clear quantifiable goals and timelines for reducing and eliminating PFAS in all food contact materials in their shops or restaurants and supply chains.
• Display their commitment towards moving away from hazardous chemicals.
• Ensure PFAS substitutes are safer.
• Provide safe, reusable food service ware for in-store dining and train staff to make this the default for customers dining in.
• Publicly report on progress and announce when their food contact materials are PFAS-free.

Consumers are advised to be mindful and follow these tips:

• Avoid using disposable food packaging whenever possible.
• Bring their own reusable food containers when visiting fast-food chains and takeaway restaurants to avoid paper, cardboard, and molded fiber food packaging potentially treated with PFAS.
• Do not dispose of molded plant fiber compostables into the compost waste bins or their own home compost, as they are often heavily treated with PFAS.

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