Senators Hassan, Tuberville Introduce Legislation to Ban Toxic ‘Forever Chemicals’ in Food Packaging

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) reintroduced legislation to ban toxic PFAS chemicals - also known as 'forever chemicals' - in food wrappers and packaging. PFAS chemicals, which are sometimes used in food wrappers to repel grease, oil, and water, are linked to serious health challenges in humans, including cancer.

"I've heard firsthand about the devastating impact that PFAS exposure has had on many Granite Staters' lives. These toxic chemicals have no place in or near our food," said Senator Hassan. "While I am glad that several states and companies have taken steps to get PFAS out of their food packaging, we need a strong federal standard to protect all Americans. That's why I am introducing bipartisan legislation to ban PFAS from all food wrappers and packaging nationwide so that no family has to worry about bringing these dangerous chemicals into their home when they order takeout. I look forward to working across the aisle to get it passed and protect public health."

"Thanks to the Make America Healthy Again movement, Americans have started waking up to the toxic chemicals that are in many of the products and foods we use every day," said Senator Tuberville. "America has the best resources, technology, and people in the world, so why are we sicker than ever? We need to start taking a closer look at things in our environment that are poisoning us. Our children are the most precious resource we have and we owe it to them to ban toxic chemicals like PFAS from products that have proven to be cancerous."

Senator Hassan first introduced the Keep Food Containers Safe from PFAS Act in 2021. PFAS contamination from food containers, cookware, and consumer products can lead to liver disease, thyroid dysfunction, and several forms of cancer. Following her efforts, several major fast food restaurants - including Burger King, Chick-Fil-A, and Starbucks - voluntarily announced that they would phase out PFAS chemicals from their food packaging.

Read the full text of the bill here.

Senator Hassan leads several efforts to protect Granite Staters from toxic forever chemicals. As a negotiator of the bipartisan infrastructure law, Senator Hassan helped secure a provision to better ensure that New Hampshire towns would be eligible for an advanced technology grant program that could be used to remove PFAS from drinking water. Last year, Senator Hassan pushed the EPA to continue PFAS cleanup efforts at the Tinkham Garage Site in Londonderry, where contamination has left residents without access to safe drinking water. Additionally, Senator Hassan helped introduce a bill to ban PFAS chemicals in cosmetics products, such as makeup, moisturizer, and perfume.

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