PFAS in Food Packaging: What 'Forever Chemicals' Mean for Your Takeaway

PFAS in food packaging refers to a group of man-made chemicals once used to make paper and moulded fibre containers grease- and water-resistant. They don't break down easily, which is why people call them forever chemicals. Australian food safety testing has found dietary exposure to be very low, but the packaging industry is phasing PFAS out anyway. 

If you run a café or restaurant, the safest move is to ask your supplier for a PFAS-free confirmation.

What Is PFAS and Why Was It in Packaging?

PFAS stands for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. It's a large family of synthetic chemicals, not a single compound. Manufacturers valued PFAS because it repels grease, oil, and water without changing how paper or fibre looks or feels.

That made it useful for chip cones, burger wraps, and some moulded fibre trays and clamshells. A thin PFAS coating stopped oil from soaking through the container and onto your hands or the table. It worked well, and for years it was standard practice across the industry.

The catch is durability. The same chemical bonds that resist grease also resist breakdown in the environment. PFAS doesn't degrade the way most organic material does.

The Health and Environmental Concerns

Research into PFAS and human health is still developing, so it's worth being careful about how strongly any claim is stated here. What's generally agreed is that PFAS builds up in soil, water and living tissue over time rather than breaking down. Some studies have linked long-term, high-level exposure to health effects, though the picture for everyday, low-level dietary exposure is less clear-cut.

Victoria's EPA takes what it calls a precautionary approach. It recommends reducing exposure where practical, even though background levels in the environment are generally low. That's a reasonable middle ground: not alarmist, but not dismissive either.

For composting, PFAS is more of a practical headache than a health one. If PFAS-coated packaging enters a commercial compost stream, it can contaminate the batch and undermine the whole point of using compostable packaging in the first place.

Where PFAS Shows Up in Takeaway Packaging

Historically, PFAS turned up mostly in grease-resistant paper and moulded fibre items. Think chip cones, pastry bags, some burger boxes, and pizza box liners. Plain paper cups and plastic lids were less likely to contain it, since they don't need the same grease barrier.

Moulded fibre and bagasse products deserve a bit more caution here. Being compostable doesn't automatically mean PFAS-free. The two properties are separate, and a supplier can technically meet composting standards while still using a PFAS-based coating for grease resistance. If you're stocking bagasse bowls and containers for your venue, it's worth asking exactly which grease-resistant treatment is used and whether it's been tested for PFAS.

Australia's Position and Regulation

There's no blanket ban on PFAS in food packaging under Australian law right now. Food Standards Australia New Zealand looked into regulating food contact chemicals back in 2017 and decided against it, concluding that dietary exposure through packaging was low enough not to need it. Instead, FSANZ works with industry on non-regulatory guidance.

That said, the picture has moved since then. In its 27th Australian Total Diet Study, FSANZ tested for 30 types of PFAS across more than a thousand food samples and found exposure through diet to be very low, with no need for extra risk management measures at the time.

Meanwhile, the packaging industry itself has moved further and faster. All Australian governments agreed to a National PFAS Position Statement, and the industry body APCO published an action plan for phasing PFAS out of fibre-based food contact packaging. You can read the government's summary on the official PFAS information hub. In practice, this means many suppliers have already switched to non-PFAS coatings, even without a legal requirement forcing them to.

Worth noting, this space is still evolving. If you're making purchasing decisions based on regulation, it's worth checking for updates rather than assuming today's position is permanent.

How to Choose PFAS-Free Packaging

The simplest approach is to ask, then verify. A reputable supplier should be able to tell you plainly whether their grease-resistant items are PFAS-free, and ideally back it up with third-party test results rather than just a marketing claim.

A few practical questions to put to any supplier:

• Is this specific product tested for PFAS, or is the claim based on the material category generally?
• Who carried out the testing, and can you see the report?
• Has anything changed in the coating or supply chain recently?

If you're setting up packaging for a mobile or fast-turnover operation, it's worth reading our guide on sustainable packaging for food trucks, which covers grease-resistant options suited to high-volume service.

Are Bagasse and Compostable Products PFAS-Free?

Not automatically, and it's worth being precise here rather than assuming. Bagasse is a plant fibre made from sugarcane waste, and on its own it has no PFAS in it. The risk comes from any coating added afterward to boost grease or water resistance.

Many bagasse products on the market today are made without added PFAS, using alternative coatings instead. But "compostable" as a label doesn't confirm this by itself. AS 4736 and AS 5810, the Australian standards for commercial and home compostability, test how a product breaks down. They don't specifically test for PFAS content.

If you want to understand more about how bagasse is made and where it fits into sustainable packaging, our article on what bagasse actually is goes into more detail. For Fayaz Disposable's own range, we'd rather be upfront: check with us directly on any specific product before assuming PFAS-free status, since not every line has been independently tested yet.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is PFAS in food packaging?

PFAS is a group of man-made chemicals once used to make packaging resistant to grease and water. They're called chemicals forever because they don't break down easily in the environment.

Is takeaway packaging safe to eat from?

For most people, yes. Australian food safety testing has found dietary exposure to PFAS through packaging to be very low. That said, the industry is moving toward PFAS-free alternatives regardless.

Which packaging contains PFAS?

Historically, grease-resistant items like chip cones, some burger wraps, and certain moulded fibre containers were more likely to contain it. Plain cups and lids generally weren't treated this way.

Is PFAS banned in Australia?

Not by law, currently. Food regulators decided against direct regulation, but the packaging industry has voluntarily committed to phasing PFAS out of fibre-based food contact packaging.

Is bagasse packaging PFAS-free?

It depends on the specific product and coating used, not on the material itself. Ask your supplier for confirmation rather than assuming based on the compostable label.

How do I know if packaging is PFAS-free?

Ask your supplier for a direct answer and, ideally, a test report. If you're unsure about anything in our range, you can get in touch with our team, and we'll check the specifics for you.

Are compostable products PFAS-free?

Not necessarily. Compostability standards test breakdown, not chemical content, so the two claims need to be verified separately.

Written by the Fayaz Disposable Packaging team, Melbourne. 

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PFAS in Food Packaging: What You Need to Know

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PFAS was once used to grease-proof takeaway packaging. Here's what it is and the health risks,