PFAS Found in Biodegradable Food Packaging – USA

Posted on October 11, 2019 by DrRossH in Plastic Waste News

Biodegradable paper plates and food packaging may seem environmentally friendly, but recent studies have found per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in compost that includes food containers.

Source: PFAS Found in Biodegradable Food Packaging | Coastal Review Online

However, recent studies have shown that compostable food containers, as well as paper plates and fast-food containers, often contain short-chain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, to repel water and grease.
A study by Environmental Science & Technology Letters showed that PFAS are present in compost that includes food containers. Researchers found that seven facilities that accepted compostable food containers had PFAS concentrations from about 29 to 76 micrograms per kilogram of compost, while compost from facilities that didn’t accept food containers contained less than 8 micrograms of compost per kilogram of compost.