Do paper plates and food wrappers contain PFAS forever chemicals?

What's actually in it

Paper plates, bakery bags, parchment paper, and takeout wrappers need something to keep grease from soaking through. Many manufacturers coat them with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also called forever chemicals. These coatings repel oil and water, but they don't stay on the paper. They migrate into your food.

PFAS are called "forever chemicals" because they don't break down in nature or in your body. Once they get in, they stick around for years.

What the research says

A 2026 study in Sci Total Environ tested commercially available food-contact paper products and found measurable PFAS in multiple samples. The researchers detected several types of PFAS, including long-chain varieties that are the most persistent in the body.

Even products marketed as compostable or organic contained PFAS. The study also tested organic soil amendments (compost made from food packaging) and found PFAS there too. So these chemicals don't just end up in your food directly. They cycle through the entire food system.

Your exposure adds up fast. Think about how often you use paper plates at a barbecue, grab a bakery bag at the store, or eat takeout from a paper container. Each contact is a small dose, but PFAS accumulate in your blood over time.

Switching to plain ceramic plates, glass containers, or uncoated parchment can cut one source of exposure. If the paper feels slick or waxy, it likely has a PFAS coating.