Compliant fast food packaging: boxes, trays and PFAS limits

The most important change for fast food is the strict limit on PFAS substances in food contact packaging, which applies from 12 August 2026 under the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR, Regulation (EU) 2025/40). PFAS are often used as a grease barrier in burger wrap paper, fries cartons and packaging for fried products. If you run a restaurant or a fast food chain, your packaging is directly affected.

What PPWR says about PFAS

Food packaging cannot be placed on the market if it exceeds any of these limits:

25 ppb for any single PFAS measured individually, excluding polymeric PFAS.
250 ppb for the sum of PFAS measured individually, excluding polymeric PFAS.
50 ppm for total PFAS, including polymeric PFAS.

The limits are so low that they practically exclude intentionally added PFAS. Packaging with total fluorine below 50 mg/kg can be considered compliant, following the testing approach recommended by the European Commission.

Be careful with stock. Packaging already placed on the market before 12 August 2026 can stay in circulation. Packaging manufactured before that date but placed on the market only after it must meet the limits. So ask your supplier for written confirmation.

How to replace the PFAS barrier

You have three directions, depending on the product:

Certified compostable materials. CompoFlex is made from PBAT, PLA, PBS, PHA and TPS, and has TÜV Austria OK Compost HOME and INDUSTRIAL certification under EN 13432. Compostable packaging makes most sense for packaging soiled with food residues, which ends up with bio-waste anyway, if separate bio-waste collection exists.
Bagasse fibre and rice straw. These are plant based alternatives for trays and bowls. Always ask for a PFAS test report, because some moulded fibre products contain PFAS as a barrier.
Paper and cardboard without PFAS, with an alternative barrier. Check which barrier is used, because a glued plastic layer can affect recyclability.

Please note: compostable is not a general solution. In PPWR, the rule for packaging outside the Article 9 list remains recyclability, and compostable is an option to check against local collection.

Pizza boxes

Custom pizza boxes remain made of cardboard, but details matter:

No thick varnish.
No glued film.
No inks that block recycling.

A clean box goes into the paper stream. A box soaked with grease does not.

The PPWR calendar for HORECA

12 August 2026: PFAS limits apply to food packaging.
12 February 2027: take-away businesses must accept containers brought by customers.
12 February 2028: the obligation to also offer a reusable packaging option applies. From the same date, compostability requirements apply to certain packaging, such as tea and coffee bags.
12 August 2028: harmonised labels with pictograms for waste sorting. The date may be later, depending on secondary legislation.
1 January 2030: recyclability and recycled content requirements apply. Some single use plastic packaging is also banned, including for food consumed on the premises and for individual portions of sauces.

A chain with several locations needs a plan

A chain with several locations needs a planned transition, not format by format changes at the last minute. A simple plan looks like this:

List all food contact packaging: paper, boxes, trays, cups, bags.
Ask each supplier for the EU declaration of conformity and the PFAS test report.
Replace the formats with PFAS risk first: burger wrap paper, fries cartons and packaging for fried products.
Test the new packaging in a few locations, for grease resistance, temperature and transport.
Prepare the procedure for customer containers for 2027.
Plan labels and orders for 2028.

EPR and fast food

Extended producer responsibility (EPR) means registration, reporting and paying a fee. As a rule, the one who places the packaging on the Romanian market for the first time is responsible, usually the local supplier. If you import packaging directly, you may be the producer. Clarify this before ordering.

Conclusion

For fast food, the priority is simple: remove PFAS from food contact packaging, ask suppliers for documents and plan the rest of the PPWR calendar. With an orderly transition you avoid product withdrawals, emergency costs and compliance risks.

Sources and recommended reading

How ECONOS can help

ECONOS helps you move to compliant fast food packaging. We check supplier documents and PFAS reports, clarify EPR obligations, build the transition calendar for all your locations and train your team for PPWR.