Following a petition by a number of environmental lobby groups, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has decided to ban the use of three perfluorinated compounds (PFC’s) in food packaging. Whilst the compounds in question had not been manufactured in the US since 2011, many consumer action groups were concerned about the possible import of such long-chain PFC’s and their potential harm to the public.

The EPA stated that its decision was because the ‘new data available as to the toxicity of substances structurally similar to these compounds demonstrated [that] there is no longer a reasonable certainty of no harm from the food-contact use of these food contact substances.’

The ‘three specific perfluoroalkyl ethyl containing food-contact substances’ were typically used as water repellents on paper and cardboard for packaging foods such as pizzas and microwave popcorn.

The ban has been introduced in support of the EPA’s plan to reduce the use of PFCs in all products. So far, the reduction is going to plan, with the Royal Society of Chemistry reporting in February 2015 that “the major chemical companies it (the EPA) has partnered with are on track to phase out production of long-chain perfluorinated chemicals (PFC) in America by the end of 2015. These eight firms alone are responsible for the vast majority of all the PFCs produced globally and, to date, they have developed over 150 alternatives.”

Food packaging manufacturers are now wondering which products are next to be banned as part of this trend. More optimistic observers are thinking about which of the new alternatives will become the best replacement.