The EU's Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation became applicable on August 12, 2026, banning food-contact packaging that exceeds new PFAS limits from the EU market. The regulation is formally known as Regulation (EU) 2025/40. It entered into force in February 2025 and replaces the previous Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive, which was repealed the same day the new rules took effect.
What the PFAS Limits Actually Are
The regulation sets three separate thresholds for food-contact packaging. Individual non-polymeric PFAS substances are capped at 25 parts per billion. The combined total of all non-polymeric PFAS substances is capped at 250 parts per billion. Total fluorine content, which captures polymeric PFAS as well, is capped at 50 milligrams per kilogram. Packaging exceeding any of these limits can no longer be placed on the EU market.
The total fluorine figure works differently. It is a screening threshold. Below 50 mg/kg, packaging is treated as compliant with no further testing. Above it, the supplier has to distinguish organic from inorganic fluorine and show how much of the total is attributable to PFAS, with targeted analysis only if that doesn't settle the question.
The ban targets PFAS used to make packaging like coffee cups and takeaway containers resistant to grease and moisture. These chemicals can migrate from the packaging into food, which is the exposure pathway regulators are trying to close.
Who This Applies To
The PPWR's obligations aren't limited to companies based in the EU. Any business placing packaged goods on the EU market becomes an "economic operator" under the regulation the moment a parcel reaches an EU customer, regardless of where the goods were manufactured or shipped from. Non-EU sellers are required to appoint a representative to handle compliance obligations if they don't already have one established in a member state.
Manufacturers, importers, and distributors also face new registration and labeling requirements starting the same day. Packaging must now identify the manufacturer and importer where applicable, and businesses must register under Extended Producer Responsibility schemes in each member state where they place packaging on the market.
What's Coming Next
August 12 marks the first major compliance milestone under the PPWR, not the last. By 31 December 2026, the Commission and ECHA must report on substances of concern in packaging and their impact on reuse, recycling and chemical safety. This is the groundwork for possible future restrictions rather than an obligation on companies. ECHA has already consulted on a draft list of around 700 candidate substances, with comments closing in August 2026.
EU Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy Jessika Roswall said the regulation is intended to reduce waste, increase recycling, and limit harmful substances in food-contact packaging. Environmental groups including the European Environmental Bureau and Zero Waste Europe welcomed the regulation taking effect, while pushing member states to enforce it strictly and accelerate reuse and refill systems in the years ahead.
Companies tracking PFAS across packaging, raw materials, and chemical inputs at once will find it easier to manage compliance with a centralized safety data sheet and chemical inventory system rather than checking each substance manually against multiple overlapping thresholds.
References: European Commission, "Packaging waste" | European Environmental Bureau, "EU restricts 'forever chemicals' in food packaging as new law applies" | Intertek, "PPWR Requirements That Are Effective From August"
Mehreen Iqbal
Started with a Bachelors in Microbiology, then a Masters in Public Health; Currently a Workplace Safety Expert.