Fluorochemicals, or per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), are used in pizza boxes, take-out containers, and burger wrappers to prevent grease and water from soaking through the packaging. While these properties are crucial for functional food wrappers, PFAS can be harmful to both environment and human beings.
Other than food packaging, PFAS are also used in for example non-stick cookware and fire retardants, and as stain and water repellents in furniture, textiles, rubbers, plastics, and electronics.
Several of the chemicals are linked with health risks such as increased cholesterol levels, impact on infant birth weights, effects on the immune system, possible increased risk for cancer, and thyroid hormone disruption.
Also known as “forever chemicals”, PFAS contain carbon-fluorine bonds, which are among the strongest chemical bonds in organic chemistry. They do not break down in the environment, and can be found practically anywhere: In air, soil, and drinking water as well as fish, wildlife, and human bodies.
More PFAS bans on the way
Only few of the many thousands of PFAS that exist have been investigated. Some, including perfluorooctane sulfonic acid and its derivatives (PFOS) and chemical compounds related to perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), are already restricted by the international Stockholm Convention, and banned in some parts of the world. Today, however, regulation is tightening much more quickly, especially in the EU and the United States.
The European Union has taken the most comprehensive step so far. The Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (EU) 2025/40 introduces specific restrictions on PFAS in food contact packaging, which will be enforced starting August 12, 2026:
- 25 ppb for any individual non-polymeric PFAS.
- 250 ppb for the sum of non-polymeric PFAS.
- 50 ppm for total PFAS, including polymeric PFAS, measured as total fluorine.
In the US, regulatory pressure is also accelerating. The FDA has effectively ended the use of PFASbased greaseproofing agents in paper and paperboard by declaring 35 FCNs no longer effective in January 2025, following its February 2024 announcement that these substances were no longer being sold into the market. Several US states have also introduced their own bans on PFAS in food packaging.
“The train is clearly moving toward restriction, and a full phase-out is on the horizon,” explains Kalle Luomi, Senior Manager for Product Safety at UPM Specialty Papers. “Being ahead of these regulations is essential not only for compliance, but for maintaining trust in safe, sustainable packaging.”
To support this, Luomi and his colleagues are constantly keeping an eye on legislative work around the world to best ensure product safety and to be well ahead of new bans and trends.
Testing shows why this matters. The US consumer organization Consumer Reports tested 100 food packaging products from restaurants and grocery shops and found the chemicals in some packaging from every retailer they looked at. In many of the products, the levels of PFAS were alarming.
Given that PFAS limits will apply to all foodcontact packaging placed on the EU market after 12 August 2026, many brand owners are already moving to eliminate PFAS from their packaging to protect consumers and avoid reputational risk. One reliable way to do that is to choose paper from a supplier that doesn’t use PFAS at all – such as UPM.
“UPM recognised its responsibility on PFAS already in the early phases. Our first PFAS-free grades were developed around 2012, and nowadays we are not using these chemicals at all in UPM,” Luomi points out, “We also carry out analytical screening to monitor any potential unintentionally introduced PFAS from raw materials.”
Barrier papers protect food without PFAS
Grease and moisture resistance and other functional properties are crucial for many of the end-uses that UPM packaging papers are used for. Fortunately, with the right expertise, coatings with PFAS or other potentially harmful substances are not required.
UPM’s safe and sustainable barrier papers have similar protecting properties – without the harm.
When developing new unique products, being ahead of trends is an advantage, Luomi explains.
“It’s a learning process with a lot of tests and trials. Now we have found a good recipe, and our barrier technology offers excellent resistance against for example grease and moisture. Our papers behave well in food usage applications where these barrier properties are needed,” he says.
By choosing UPM barrier papers, converters and brand owners can offer their customers a PFAS-free alternative that is good for the health of humans as well as the globe. All our packaging papers are made from responsibly sourced fibres and recyclable in existing systems.
