EU PPWR: New PFAS Restrictions in Food-Contact Packaging

This marks one of the first enforcement milestones of the PPWR, which came into play in February 2025, and applies on a phased basis through 2030.

PFAS have been widely used in packaging such as takeaway containers, fast-food wrappers, microwave popcorn bags, bakery paper, and pizza boxes to repel water and grease. Due to their environmental persistence and potential health risks, the EU is now banning their use above defined thresholds in any food-contact packaging placed on the EU market.

As a result of the new PPWR, food-contact packaging may not exceed:

25 parts per billion (ppb) for any PFAS as measured with targeted PFAS analysis (polymeric PFAS excluded from quantification)
250 parts per billion (ppb) for the sum of PFAS measured as the sum of targeted PFAS analysis, where applicable with prior degradation of precursors (polymeric PFAS excluded from quantification)
50 parts per million (ppm) for PFASs (including polymeric PFAS)

To help businesses demonstrate compliance, the EU guidance (published March 2026, Guideline C(2026) 2151 final) introduces a structured, three-stage testing approach for PFAS screening. SOCOTEC UK and Ireland, with its use of state-of-the-art instrumentation, applies this protocol to provide cost effective analytical testing while ensuring documented, defensible compliance.

The PPWR also reaffirms strict limits on four hazardous heavy metals in packaging and packaging components placed on the EU market. This requirement, set out in Article 5(4) of the PPWR, carries over the existing limit from the previous Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive (94/62/EC). As a result, the following four heavy metals must not exceed:

100 mg/kg (100 ppm) total sum of:

Lead (Pb)
Cadmium (Cd)
Mercury (Hg)
Hexavalent Chromium (Cr VI)

This limit applies to all packaging and packaging components placed on the EU market, a broader scope than the PFAS restriction, which applies specifically to food-contact packaging.