MPs urge PFAS restrictions in food packaging and cookware

MPs have urged the UK Government to restrict the use of “forever chemicals” in food packaging and cookware, warning that PFAS contamination could affect food safety, agriculture and human health.

A new report published by the cross-party Environmental Audit Committee calls for urgent action to limit the use of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a family of more than 10,000 synthetic chemicals widely used in consumer and industrial products.

The committee recommends the Government adopt an “essential use” approach to PFAS regulation and introduce phased restrictions on non-essential uses - including food packaging, cookware and school uniforms - beginning in 2027.

Chair of the committee Toby Perkins warned that the widespread use of PFAS comes with growing environmental and potential health concerns.

From frying pans to fire extinguishers, PFAS are now central to every day and some lifesaving products, and nearly all of us will have some level of PFAS in our bodies.

But evidence we heard throughout our inquiry suggests that our dependence on PFAS has come with a cost to the environment, and perhaps to human health too.

The Government has already published a PFAS Action Plan, an important step that the Committee welcomes. But it does not go far enough. It appears to be a plan to eventually have a plan, rather than a concrete set of commitments to reduce and remediate PFAS.

We do not need to panic, but we do need to take sensible precautions.”

 

Toby Perkins, Chair of Environmental Audit Committee 

Food packaging and cookware exposure

PFAS are widely used in food packaging and non-stick cookware because of their resistance to heat, grease and water.

However, their persistence means they can accumulate in the environment and human bodies for decades.

Evidence cited in the report suggests food contact materials may represent a significant source of human exposure. Research by environmental charity Fidra in 2020 found PFAS in packaging from eight out of nine major UK supermarkets and in 100 percent of takeaway packaging tested.

The report also raises concerns about non-stick cookware coatings, which may degrade at temperatures reached during normal cooking and release particles that could be ingested.

Denmark became the first country to ban PFAS in food contact paper and cardboard materials in 2020, a move cited in the report as an example of regulatory action aimed at preventing environmental contamination.

MPs noted that PFAS-free alternatives for food packaging are already available and some cookware manufacturers are beginning to market PFAS-free products. However, without clear labelling or regulation, consumers and businesses cannot easily identify whether products contain PFAS.

PFAS entering the food chain

The report highlights that PFAS exposure occurs through several pathways including drinking water, air, dust and skin contact, although diet is considered the main exposure route for most people.

PFAS can also enter the food chain through agriculture. The Nature Friendly Farming Network told MPs that farmers may unknowingly receive PFAS contamination through pesticides, contaminated water sources and organic materials.

A particular concern is sewage sludge - or biosolids - produced from wastewater treatment. These materials can contain PFAS from household and industrial sources and are commonly applied to farmland as fertiliser.

Dr Joanna Cloy, Senior Project Manager at Fidra, told the committee that applying biosolids to farmland can lead to PFAS accumulating in crops and livestock.

Farmers may also be unaware of the contamination risk. The Nature Friendly Farming Network said farmers often do not know when biosolids contain PFAS and do not want to inherit contaminated sludge from water companies, warning it could pollute agricultural soils used for food production.

Professor Michael Depledge CBE said contaminated agricultural land should be prioritised for regulation.

Calls for PFAS limits in food

While the UK has introduced guidance on PFAS in drinking water, MPs warned that regulatory gaps remain across food and agriculture.

The committee is calling for limits on the levels and types of PFAS permitted in food and interim thresholds while PFAS-containing products remain on the market. It also recommends standardised labelling to help consumers identify products containing PFAS.

Experts told MPs that current regulation is inconsistent across exposure pathways.

Professor Luisa Orsini said that “there is not enough regulation” beyond drinking water standards.

Dr David Megson described the system as fragmented.

We go to water and we are looking for 48 PFAS. 

I go to food and I am looking for four PFAS.”

 

Dr David Megson

He argued that risk assessments should be applied consistently across exposure routes, including food and drinking water.

Wider regulatory action

MPs are also calling for stronger application of the “polluter pays” principle to ensure companies responsible for PFAS contamination fund environmental clean-up.

The committee recommends the Government consult by March 2027 on establishing a national PFAS remediation fund and invest in technologies capable of safely destroying the chemicals.

The Government has all the information it needs to get PFAS out of the environment and deter future pollution.

Waiting will only make the problem worse.

Now is the time to act.”

 

Toby Perkins