With the countdown to the EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation underway, packaging professionals across the UK and beyond are taking a closer look at what compliance really means in practice. One term that continues to surface in conversations with suppliers and brand owners is ‘PFAS-free’, but as the August 2026 deadline approaches, what does this actually involve? Here, Peter Tindale, European sales director at Selig Group, outlines the challenges and considerations for the sector.
THE PPWR (Regulation (EU) 2025/40), which came into force in February 2025 will apply to food contact packaging from the 12th August 2026. A key provision is the restriction of so-called ‘forever chemicals’, or PFAS, widely used for their resistance to grease, oil and water.
Under the regulation, strict thresholds are set at 50 parts per billion (ppb) for any individual PFAS measures via targeted analysis, 250 ppb for the total sum of PFAS, and 50 parts per million (ppm) when polymeric PFAS are included in broader screening methods. These limits are set to reshape material choices across a wide range of food and drink applications.
Identifying PFAS ‘hot spots’
Historically, PFAS-based coatings have been a mainstay in disposable food packaging-particularly trays, cartons, cups and liners – where barrier performance is critical. As a result, packaging providers for retail food and take-away foodservice are now having to explore PFAS-free alternative coating technologies.
However, the shift is far from straightforward. One of the most significant technical hurdles lies in how compliance is measured. The PPWR places emphasis on total fluorine (TF) testing as a primary screening tool. While this approach can indicate the presence of fluorine, it does not differentiate between types of PFAS, nor does it reveal whether a substance is polymeric (and largely inert) or potentially mobile and able to migrate into food.
This creates a complex scenario: a packaging format containing trace levels of stable fluoropolymers could fail a TF test, while another containing lower – but potentially more harmful – levels of mobile PFAS might pass. Compounding the issue further, the 50 ppm threshold for individual PFAS sits at the edge of what can be reliably quantified, considering the matrix complexity of different packaging materials and the types of food they may come into contact with.
Building confidence in ‘PFAS-free’ claims
Given these uncertainties, how can packaging manufacturers confidently ensure their products meet ‘PFAS-free’ expectations? The answer lies in adopting a layered testing approach.
Many organisations are now combining total fluorine screening with more detailed targeted PFAS analysis where elevated readings are detected. This second stage testing focuses on identifying extractable or ionic PFAS and evaluating their potential to migrate into food, providing a more complete picture of compliance and risk.
At Selig Group, efforts are already underway to support this transition. Alongside expanding liner and foam portfolios to include solutions where PFAS are not intentionally added (NIA), our technical teams are working closely with customers to manage material changeovers and maintain production efficiency.
As the deadline continues to move closer, the direction of travel is clear. For packaging professionals, the focus is now on navigating the technical detail, validating alternatives and ensuring that compliance claims meet the requirements of the PPWR. The move away from PFAS is not purely a regulatory consideration – it represents a broader shift in how we balance performance and sustainability while ensuring safety in next generation packaging.
