Recommendations

Restaurant chains and other food retailers should do the following:

1. Adopt and implement a public policy with clear quantifiable goals and timelines for reducing and eliminating PFAS in all food contact materials in restaurants and supply chains.
2. Ensure substitutes are safer, at a minimum free of any GreenScreen Benchmark 1 chemicals.
3. FDA should withdraw its approvals for all PFAS in food contact materials and not approve any new PFAS.
4. Publicly report on progress and announce when the food contact materials are PFAS-free.
5. Develop a comprehensive safer chemicals policy to reduce and eliminate other toxic chemicals, such as ortho-phthalates, in food contact materials and other products.

Other parties also have a role to play:

1. States and local governments should ban PFAS in food contact materials, ensure safer alternatives, and leverage their institutional purchasing power to buy safer PFAS-free food serviceware.
2. Congress should pass the Keep Food Containers Safe from PFAS Act.
3. FDA should withdraw its approvals for PFAS in food contact materials and not approve any new PFAS.
4. Commercial composting facilities should accept only food packaging that is certified PFAS-free (i.e. certified by the Biodegradable Products Institute or the Compost Manufacturing Alliance).
5. Individuals should call on food retailers and elected officials to ban PFAS in food contact materials. Take action now to tell McDonald’s to stop using PFAS!