Do fast food wrappers contain PFAS?

Recent Consumer Reports tests of more than 100 food packaging products from U.S. restaurants and supermarkets found dangerous PFAS chemicals in many of the products, including paper bags for french fries, wrappers for hamburgers, molded fiber salad bowls, and single-use paper plates.

Are PFAS in fast-food wrappers?

Several groups have maintained that many major brands use packaging with PFAS and that testing at times showed extremely high levels. A 2017 study by the Massachusetts-based nonprofit research organization Silent Spring Institute found PFAS in almost half of paper wrappers and 20% of boxes from 27 fast food outlets.

What fast-food packaging contains PFAS?

The highest levels of indicators for PFAS were found in food packaging from Nathan's Famous, Cava, Arby's, Burger King, Chick-fil-A, Stop & Shop and Sweetgreen, according to an investigation released Thursday by Consumer Reports.

Do Mcdonalds wrappers contain PFAS?

For their part, both McDonald's and Burger King have pledged to remove PFAS from their packaging. In early 2021, McDonald's promised to phase the chemicals out globally by 2025.

Are food wrappers safe?

Phthalates are probably toxic because they disrupt hormones, and these compounds can leach into food wrapped in plastics made with them. But as of 2006, almost all plastic wraps made in the United States are phthalate-free.

Dangerous chemicals being found in fast food packaging

Are fast-food wrappers safe?

Recent Consumer Reports tests of more than 100 food packaging products from U.S. restaurants and supermarkets found dangerous PFAS chemicals in many of the products, including paper bags for french fries, wrappers for hamburgers, molded fiber salad bowls, and single-use paper plates.

Does Chick Fil A use PFAS?

Does Chick-fil-A's packaging contain PFAS? Chick-fil-A has eliminated intentionally added PFAS from all newly produced packaging going forward in our supply chain. While some legacy packaging may still be in restaurants, it is expected to be phased out by the end of summer of 2022.

What Taco Bell packaging has PFAS?

Taco Bell's chip bag

Taco Bell's bag for tortilla chips was found to contain 145 ppm organic fluorine. In 2020, the chain made a pledge to remove PFAS, Phthalates, and BPA from all consumer-facing packaging materials by 2025.

Are we being poisoned by our food packaging?

PFAS in food packaging have been linked to potential harms to human health and the environment. Products with two red squares have 100 parts per million organic fluorine or more. Starting next year, California will ban food packaging that exceeds that level.

How toxic is McDonald's food?

Researchers obtained 64 food samples of hamburgers, fries, chicken nuggets, chicken burritos and cheese pizza from the chains. They found that over 80% of the foods contained a phthalate called DnBP. And 70% contained the phthalate DEHP. Both of the chemicals have been linked to reproductive health problems.

Does Starbucks still use PFAS?

The international coffee company says it will eliminate PFAS from all US packaging by the end of 2022, and in stores abroad in 2023.

Does Burger King use PFAS?

However, Burger King has previously committed to eliminate PFAS from all guest packaging by 2025 (or sooner)."

What foods are high in PFAS?

It is estimated that the most significant dietary source of PFAS is fish and shellfish. The FDA has been testing for PFAS in foods such as produce, meat, dairy, grain, carbonated water, non-carbonated bottled water, seafood and milk.

Do paper cups contain PFAS?

Paper cups seemed to be in the clear -- none tested positive for PFAS. Perhaps most concerning, during a second test to confirm the results in 20 containers, six containers tested positive for PFOA, or C8, a chemical that was once a major component of Teflon nonstick coating.

Do paper plates contain PFAS?

Most other paper plates contain toxic PFAS chemicals. Studies show that PFAS end up in your food. The EPA says people are exposed to PFAS from paper plates and that PFAS can accumulate in your body and stay there for years.

Does parchment paper contain PFAS?

Our tests of packaging for cook-at-home food and home baking supplies, including microwave and oven-cook food trays, butter wrappers, baking cups, and rolls of parchment paper, did not find any items likely treated with PFAS.

Do plastic cups have PFAS?

Specially treated plastic containers could be widespread sources of toxic per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the environment, the US Environmental Protection Agency says.

Do plastic bags have PFAS?

There have been no studies linking Ziploc bags to PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances). Ziploc and other sandwich bags are often made of low-density polyethylene (LDPE), which has been shown not to contain PFAS, but these bags could be contaminated in manufacturing.

Do Chipotle bowls have PFAS?

Chipotle has eliminated PFAS from bowls used in the U.S. and Canada, with bowls in Europe to be targeted this quarter, according to a recent statement. “Production is underway to phase out PFAS from other packaging items by the end of this year,” it said.

Are PFAS still used?

Although the original PFAS chemical used to make Teflon has been taken off the market, Teflon and other brands of nonstick cookware are still produced with new PFAS that may be no safer. PFAS chemicals are widely used to coat paper and cardboard wrappers for fast food and bakery goods.

Can forever chemicals be removed from body?

Toxic 'forever chemicals' in the bloodstream aren't as forever any longer: a new study reports that such contaminants can be scrubbed out of our bloodstream by regularly donating blood.

What chemicals are in food wrappers?

Many of these chemicals are hormone disruptors—such as BPA, which is found in the lining of cans, phthalates in plastic food wrap, and PFASs used in greaseproof wrappers—that can leach into food and enter people's bodies.

Do frozen dinners have PFAS?

In its most recent food sample, the FDA collected staples that are common to the average U.S. diet based on food consumption surveys, including baby food, frozen foods and canned, boxed or jarred food. Out of 167 foods tested, 164 had “no detectable levels of PFAS,” the FDA said.

How do you remove PFAS from your body?

Currently, there are no definitive medical procedures that can clear PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) from the body, according to the Secretary of the United States Navy. However, the best step you can take is to remove the source of the exposure from your environment.

How do I protect myself from PFAS?