Reps. Jan Schakowsky and Rosa DeLauro and Sen. Richard Blumenthal introduced the “No Toxic Chemicals in Food Packaging Act,” which would prohibit the use of chemicals previously linked to various health risks — such as PFAS, ortho-phthalates and bisphenols such as BPA — in food-contact materials.
The proposed bill is also co-sponsored by US Representatives Nanette Barragán, Jesús “Chuy” García, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Jonathan Jackson, Stephen Lynch, Chellie Pingree, and Bonnie Watson Coleman, as well as Senators Tammy Duckworth, Ed Markey, Jeff Merkley, and Ron Wyden.
“Consumers should be able to trust that the food they put on their tables is safe,” Schakowsky said. “Yet harmful chemicals linked to cancer, hormone disruption, and other serious health risks continue to be used in food packaging, exposing Americans to unnecessary dangers … This crucial legislation would finally ban some of the most hazardous chemicals used in food packaging and food processing materials.”
Across the pond, similar regulations have been proposed. One such example includes Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation laws, which would cover 100% of the packaging lifecycle and include a directive to cut down on the use of PFAS in food packaging. That deadline is just around the corner on Aug. 12.
This isn’t the first time a bill has been presented regarding these chemicals in the context of food packaging. In 2023, Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo vetoed Nevada State Bill 76 (SB76), which would have established restrictions on the manufacturing and sale of products containing intentionally added PFAS chemicals.
