‘ PFAS-Free’ the Challenges of Compliant Packaging
With the PPWR creating a seismic shift in food and drink packaging across Europe, what does‘ PFAS- Free’ actually mean for companies looking to be compliant by August? Here Peter Tindale, European Sales Director at Selig Group, a global leader in container sealing and venting technology, discusses the challenges.
The PPWR and PFAS in food contact packaging
The Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation( PPWR, Regulation( EU) 2025 / 40) became law in Feb 2025 and needs to be applied to food contact packaging by 12 Aug 2026. It explicitly restricts the use of‘ forever’ PFAS chemicals in food contact packaging used in Europe from this date, with specified limits of 25 ppb( parts per billion) for any single PFAS measured via targeted analysis, 250 ppb for the sum of PFAS measured and 50 ppm when including polymeric PFAS in broader measurements.
30 FDPP- www. fdpp. co. uk
PFAS hot spots
Many disposable trays, cups, boxes and liners were traditionally coated in PFAS-containing coatings for their water and oil resistance. So, packaging providers for retail food and take-away food service areas are having to explore PFAS-free alternative coating technologies at present.
However, a particular challenge for packaging producers is the use of total fluorine limits as the legal compliance metric to confirm if a product meets the PFAS maximum limits. Total fluorine( TF) tests tell the producer how much fluorine is in the packaging, but not which PFAS, whether it’ s polymeric( highly stable) or mobile or whether it can migrate into food. So, a tiny amount of inert fluoropolymer may cause a packaging failure, while a more toxic, mobile PFAS could pass if below detection. Also, the regulatory threshold of 25 ppb per PFAS is at the threshold of quantifiable limits in complex matrices, meaning that two labs
could test the same packaging and get different conclusions.
So, with TF testing the measurement of choice for PPWR food contact packaging compliance, how can producers offer customers‘ PFAS-free’ food contact packaging with confidence? Well, many are embracing a two-tier testing strategy of total fluorine screening and targeted PFAS analysis if the TF is elevated, to test for extractable / ionic PFAS and assess migration relevance.
Here at Selig, as well as ensuring many of our liner and foam ranges have PFAS NIA( not intentionally added) solutions available, our technical team is working closely with customers to ensure that switching to these products is a smooth process within the factory. Change is coming, so are you ready?
For more information on Selig’ s global capabilities and solutions, visit www. seliggroup. com, and for further information, contact: marketing @ seliggroup. com