PFAS in food packaging regulations: the PPWR rules in brief
⏱ Updated: 2026-10-25 · source: Regulation (EU) 2025/40 + EC Guidance C(2026) 3702
The ban on PFAS in food-contact packaging applies from 12 August 2026. Here is the whole picture on one page: limits, scope, enforcement and what the product manufacturer has to document.
In brief
- From 12 August 2026 the PFAS ban for food-contact packaging applies at the limits in Art. 5(5) of Regulation (EU) 2025/40.
- Limits: 25 ppb for a single compound, 250 ppb for the sum, 50 ppm for total fluorine as an indicator.
- The limits cover intentionally added and non-intentionally present PFAS and the whole packaging unit including inks, varnishes and adhesives.
- No list of banned PFAS with CAS numbers will be published; a harmonised test protocol is being prepared.
What the European Commission says
The PFAS restriction adopted in the PPWR does not distinguish between intentionally added and non-intentionally present PFAS. The provisions of Art. 5(5) therefore apply to both cases.
European Commission, PPWR questions and answers, chapter III, Q16
See how PPWRapka handles it
Art. 5 substances — Article five covers substances in packaging: heavy metals and PFAS compounds. First question: does the packaging touch food?
Full episode: PPWR #3 — Articles 5–12 and the lab report (PFAS, heavy metals) →
Limits and scope in one table
| Parameter | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Single PFAS compound | 25 ppb | Art. 5(5) |
| Sum of PFAS compounds | 250 ppb | Art. 5(5) |
| Total fluorine (indicator) | 50 ppm | Art. 5(5) |
| Start of the ban in food-contact packaging | 12 August 2026 | Art. 5 and Art. 71 |
The ban applies to packaging intended for contact with food (FCM). The limits cover the packaging unit as a whole, including the inks, varnishes, adhesives and bonding agents placed on the market by the manufacturer (Commission Q&A, chapter III, Q17). The unit is therefore the whole printed and glued cup, not just the paper.
One ppm equals a thousand ppb, but the PFAS limits and the total-fluorine indicator measure different things, so one cannot simply be converted into the other.
How the ban will be enforced
There is still no harmonised EU method for measuring PFAS in food-contact packaging. The Commission is working with industry, civil society, national authorities and the EU reference laboratory for food contact materials (EURL) on a harmonised test protocol (chapter III, Q19). The starting point is total fluorine analysis, which many commercial and university laboratories already offer (Q20).
The Commission will not publish a list of banned PFAS with CAS numbers: the limits apply to all PFAS within the PPWR definition that may be present in or contaminate the packaging (Q18). There is no list to tick off; the evidence is a test result or a supplier statement backed by data.
Preliminary Commission analyses suggest that in practice only packaging with intentionally added PFAS, such as paper with a grease-resistant coating, exceeds the limits. That is good news for most cartons and trays, but it does not remove the need for documentation.
What to document and when to test
Methods you may meet in a laboratory offer: LC-MS/MS for individual compounds and CIC/EOF for total fluorine, with PN-EN 17681 as a reference for PFAS and total fluorine in packaging. The laboratory should operate under PN-EN ISO/IEC 17025.
A practical order: (1) identify food-contact packaging; (2) ask the supplier for a statement and a test report; (3) order a total fluorine test where there is a barrier coating or printing without a declaration; (4) record the result in the technical documentation and the declaration.
If you have no result you may file a statement in place of a value, but it needs to be backed by supplier data. A statement without a document is only a declaration of intent. See also our overview of the PFAS in packaging guide.
What PPWRapka does with it
For food-contact packaging PPWRapka shows a substances section with fields for PFAS results or for a statement that goes onto the declaration without revealing values. You upload the laboratory report to a register and attach it to many products from the same batch; the assistant Bielik reads the report and carries the results into the fields.
The application does not perform tests and does not judge whether a laboratory method is appropriate; that remains the decision and the responsibility of the product manufacturer. It does show the list of gaps and the readiness percentage, so you can see which food-contact items still have no PFAS data.
Check this on your own packaging
See in PPWRapka which food packaging still lacks PFAS data.
The quotation comes from the European Commission document Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) — questions and answers (chapter III, Q16), in the Polish version of the document, translated here. Commentary, practical conclusions and the description of the application are ours. Only the text of Regulation (EU) 2025/40 is binding.
Frequently asked questions
From when does the PFAS ban for food packaging apply?
From 12 August 2026, under Art. 5(5) of Regulation (EU) 2025/40.
Does the ban cover PFAS that were not added intentionally?
Yes. The restriction does not distinguish, although preliminary analyses indicate that exceedances come practically only from packaging with intentionally added PFAS.
Is there a list of banned compounds?
No. The Commission will not publish a list with CAS numbers; the limits cover all PFAS within the PPWR definition.
Must packaging made before 12 August 2026 be withdrawn?
Packaging placed on the market before the date of application may remain on the market; stock not yet placed on the market does not have to be destroyed (chapter X, Q5).
Sources
ℹ️ This material is informational and educational and does not constitute legal advice. Only Regulation (EU) 2025/40 and national law are binding. PPWRapka is a commercial tool, not a public-administration service.