Arnika |Throwaway Packaging, Forever Chemicals: European wide survey of PFAS in disposable food packaging and tableware

The study showed the widespread use of and contamination by PFAS in disposable food packaging and tableware across Europe. These items are by definition and design meant to be used for very short durations before being thrown away. This contrasts with the extreme persistence of all PFAS chemicals. Alternatives to PFAS treatments do exist, and even more importantly, safe, durable and reusable options for food containers and tableware are already widely available. It is high time that national governments and European institutions phase out all such uses of PFAS and manage these substances as a group. Where regulation has been put in place such as in the case of Denmark, it has effectively incentivised companies to move away from using PFAS compounds.