If you sell, distribute, or manufacture food packaging in the U.S., “check your state’s PFAS law” isn’t optional anymore — more than a dozen states now restrict intentionally added PFAS in food packaging, and the list keeps growing every legislative session.
This guide walks through which states have PFAS food packaging bans on the books, when each one took (or takes) effect, what exactly is restricted, and how to avoid getting caught flat-footed by a compliance deadline you didn’t know existed.
Quick Answer
At least 13 states now restrict intentionally added PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) in food packaging: New York, California, Washington, Colorado, Connecticut, Maryland, Minnesota, Hawaii, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Maine, and New Hampshire. Effective dates range from December 2022 (New York) through January 2027 (New Hampshire), with most states targeting plant-fiber packaging like molded fiber bowls, wraps, and pizza boxes, while a smaller group — Vermont, Connecticut, and Minnesota, soon joined by New Hampshire — bans intentionally added PFAS across all food packaging materials, not just plant-based ones. Illinois’s original 2025 bill would have banned PFAS in both food packaging and cookware starting January 1, 2026, but lawmakers stripped both categories out before Governor Pritzker signed the final PFAS Reduction Act on August 15, 2025, so Illinois isn’t on this list.
State-by-State Timeline
New York was first out of the gate, banning PFAS in plant-based food packaging effective December 31, 2022. California followed on January 1, 2023, prohibiting plant-fiber packaging with intentionally added PFAS or total organic fluorine above a set threshold. Washington phased in its ban across 2023 and 2024, starting with wraps and plates and extending to bags and containers.
2024 brought a wave of new laws: Colorado and Maryland restricted PFAS in plant-based packaging effective January 1, 2024, while Connecticut (effective December 31, 2023) and Minnesota (effective January 1, 2024) went further, banning intentionally added PFAS in food packaging made from any material. Hawaii’s ban on specific plant-based items — wraps, plates, and pizza boxes — took effect December 31, 2024.
Oregon and Rhode Island both came online January 1, 2025, restricting PFAS in plant-based food packaging. Vermont followed on January 1, 2026, with an updated statute that replaced its earlier, narrower packaging rule with a comprehensive ban covering all food packaging materials, not just plant fiber. Illinois also debated a PFAS ban covering food packaging and cookware in 2025, with an effective date originally set for January 1, 2026 — but lawmakers removed both food packaging and cookware from the bill before Governor Pritzker signed the PFAS Reduction Act into law on August 15, 2025, leaving Illinois without a food-packaging-specific PFAS law. The enacted version instead restricts intentionally added PFAS in cosmetics, dental floss, juvenile products, menstrual products, and intimate apparel, with that restriction delayed to start January 1, 2032.
Maine’s rule targeting nine categories of plant-fiber food packaging takes effect May 25, 2026, with a broader products ban covering all materials (including other food packaging) scheduled for January 1, 2032. New Hampshire is next, with its ban on food packaging and containers containing intentionally added PFAS set for January 1, 2027. More states — including several considering bills in 2026 sessions — are expected to join this list, so this is a moving target rather than a fixed roster.
What Counts as “Intentionally Added” PFAS
Nearly every state law uses the phrase “intentionally added PFAS,” which means the chemical was deliberately used as an ingredient or component — for example, as a grease- or water-resistant coating on molded fiber bowls, wraps, or bags. It generally doesn’t capture trace or incidental PFAS that shows up from environmental contamination or manufacturing byproducts, though a handful of states (California among them) set a total organic fluorine threshold as a backstop so manufacturers can’t dodge the “intentional” language with sloppy sourcing.
Coverage also varies by material. Many of the earliest laws (New York, California, Washington, Colorado, Maryland, Hawaii, Oregon, Rhode Island) apply narrowly to plant-based or molded-fiber packaging — the compostable bowls, wraps, and boxes most associated with PFAS grease-proofing. A second, newer wave (Connecticut, Minnesota, Vermont, and soon New Hampshire) applies to food packaging regardless of material, which sweeps in plastic films, coated paperboard, and other formats that earlier laws left alone. Maine currently sits with the first group but is scheduled to broaden its restriction in 2032.
Tips / Common Mistakes
Don’t assume a packaging supplier’s “PFAS-free” claim covers every state’s definition — some states test for total organic fluorine thresholds, others rely solely on manufacturer certification, so ask suppliers which standard they’re certifying against. Don’t track only your home state: if you ship or sell food packaging into multiple states, you need to comply with the strictest applicable rule, and that list is longer than most buyers assume. Don’t wait for an effective date to start sourcing alternatives — fiber and film suppliers often need lead time to requalify PFAS-free formulations, and most states’ effective dates (including Vermont’s and Maine’s 2026 deadlines) have already passed, with New Hampshire’s January 2027 date approaching fast. Finally, don’t assume a state that debated a PFAS packaging bill actually enacted it as introduced — Illinois is a good example: its 2025 bill originally covered food packaging and cookware, but both were stripped out before the governor signed the final law, so always confirm against the final, signed statute rather than an earlier bill draft. Most enacted laws carry civil penalties per violation, and several put enforcement in the hands of the state attorney general rather than a slower regulatory agency, so violations can move to penalties quickly.
Explore more: more packaging compliance guides.
PFAS in Food Packaging FAQs
Is there a federal ban on PFAS in food packaging?
Not currently. The FDA has worked with manufacturers to phase out certain PFAS used as grease-proofing agents in food packaging, but there’s no nationwide statutory ban — regulation is happening state by state.
Which state banned PFAS in food packaging first?
New York was the first, with a ban on PFAS in plant-based food packaging that took effect December 31, 2022, followed closely by California and Washington in 2023.
Does a PFAS food packaging ban apply to packaging made outside the banning state?
Yes — these laws regulate the sale and distribution of packaging within the state, not where it was manufactured, so out-of-state and imported packaging sold into a banned state must still comply.
Does Illinois ban PFAS in food packaging?
No. An earlier 2025 bill would have banned PFAS in food packaging and cookware starting January 1, 2026, but lawmakers removed both categories before Governor Pritzker signed the final PFAS Reduction Act on August 15, 2025, so Illinois currently has no food-packaging-specific PFAS ban.
Do these bans cover all types of packaging material?
It depends on the state. Earlier laws mostly target plant-fiber or molded-fiber packaging, while newer laws in states like Connecticut, Minnesota, and Vermont apply to food packaging made from any material, with New Hampshire set to join them in 2027.
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Photo: Yanishevsky / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.