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You might not recognise the term PFAS, but you have probably encountered them. Short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, PFAS are a large family of chemicals used to make products resistant to water, oil and grease.
These qualities have made them particularly useful in food packaging, where they help paper and cardboard cope with greasy or wet foods. The problem is that many PFAS are extremely persistent in the environment, earning them the nickname ‘forever chemicals’. Now, new restrictions are changing the future of PFAS in packaging, while researchers and manufacturers look for safer ways to give paper the same useful protective properties.
Paper is naturally absorbent, which is usually one of its strengths, but in food packaging it can become a problem. A paper takeaway box or food wrapper needs to hold its contents without becoming saturated with oil, grease or moisture. PFAS have historically been used to create a barrier between the food and the paper, allowing fibre-based packaging to resist substances that would otherwise soak into it. Their effectiveness is one reason PFAS have been used in paper and paperboard food packaging for decades.
The concern is what happens to PFAS after they have done their job. Many are highly persistent, meaning they don’t readily break down in the environment. Some PFAS can also remain inside the human body if digested, and certain substances in the group have been linked with health concerns. PFAS is a large and varied family, so the chemicals do not all behave in the same way. Nevertheless, their persistence and widespread presence have led regulators to look much more closely at where they are used and how exposure can be reduced.
That scrutiny has now reached food packaging in Europe. On the 12th of August 2026, new requirements under the European Union’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) came into effect, meaning food-contact packaging placed on the EU market must comply with specified limits for PFAS. The rules cover different concentrations of PFAS, including limits for individual substances and for total PFAS. Packaging that was already placed on the market before the 12th of August can remain there, but new food-contact packaging placed on the EU market after that date has to meet the requirements.
These EU rules are part of a much wider effort to reduce the use and release of these chemicals, and a separate proposal covering PFAS more broadly is still being considered.
In February 2026, the UK Government published its first PFAS Plan, setting out how it intends to understand where PFAS are coming from, how they move through the environment and how ongoing exposure can be reduced. The plan specifically includes testing food packaging such as microwave popcorn bags and pizza boxes to help identify where PFAS are present and inform future action.
For packaging manufacturers, the challenge is fairly simple to describe: if PFAS can no longer be used, what can take their place?
PFAS-free paper packaging is becoming increasingly important. Researchers are investigating coatings and treatments that can give paper resistance to grease and moisture without using fluorinated chemicals. These include materials derived from starch, cellulose, proteins, chitosan and alginates, alongside other bio-based coatings and barrier technologies.
Instead of changing the paper itself into something that repels oil and water, a very thin protective layer can be added to its surface. The challenge is making that layer perform well enough for real-world food packaging while keeping the material practical to manufacture and, ideally, compatible with recycling or composting.
PFAS-free does not automatically mean sustainable. Simply replacing PFAS with another coating does not guarantee that a package will have a lower environmental impact. Research into PFAS alternatives therefore looks at much more than whether a material can keep grease out. It also considers food safety, performance, cost, and recyclability.
This is why bio-based materials are attracting so much interest. Recent research has explored plant-derived polysaccharides, proteins and waxes as possible components of sustainable food packaging, alongside cellulose-based materials and other renewable resources. These approaches could allow paper packaging to retain its useful fibre base while adding the barrier properties needed for modern food applications. However, researchers also stress that there are still challenges around performance, cost and producing these materials at scale.
The move away from PFAS is not simply about finding a chemical replacement. It is encouraging a rethink of how paper food packaging is designed in the first place. Rather than relying on highly persistent substances to make paper behave differently, manufacturers and researchers are looking at how fibre, coatings and barrier technologies can work together.
There is also no single solution that will work for every type of food packaging. A paper coffee cup, pizza box and bakery wrapper all need to withstand different combinations of heat, moisture and grease. But the rapid development of PFAS-free packaging suggests that the industry is already moving towards a wider range of alternatives.
The EU’s new rules mark an important point in that transition. With the PFAS restrictions for food-contact packaging now in force, the pressure to develop effective alternatives is no longer simply about preparing for future legislation, but is an immediate packaging challenge that needs to be addressed.
