BREAKING: New Study Shows PFAS Chemicals Rapidly Migrate into Products from Fluorinated Plastic Containers

Washington, DC – The Center for Environmental Health (CEH) and Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) announced results of a new study by University of Notre Dame researchers showing fluorinated high-density polyethylene (HDPE) plastic containers — used for numerous products such as household cleaners, pesticides, personal care products and food — tested positive for PFAS, including the highly toxic perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), which major manufacturers stopped producing in 2015. 

Results showed the PFAS migrated from the fluorinated containers into water, solvents, and food, resulting in a direct route of significant exposure to the hazardous chemicals, which have been linked to several health issues including prostate, kidney and testicular cancers, low birth weight, immunotoxicity and thyroid disease. 

The study, published in Environmental Science and Technology Letters, follows studies conducted by the EPA that demonstrated fluorinated containers and their contents contained high levels of PFAS. This research demonstrates the first measurement of PFAS migration from containers into food as well as the effect of temperature on the leaching process.