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McDonald’s and other fast food chains are in some serious trouble after a toxic chemical was found in their packaging.
According to Mashed, two environmental groups, Toxic-Free Future and Mind the Store, tested the packaging from popular fast food chains–and nearly half of the samples tested came back positive for fluorine.
The article explains, “The presence of fluorine could indicate that toxic chemicals could have been used to coat the wrappers.”
Keep reading for more details!
The tests, which were conducted in February 2020, included sample packaging from McDonald's, Wendy's, and Burger King.
According to the New York Post, "Researchers found the chemicals present in packaging for the Whopper at Burger King and in the packaging used for the chain’s chicken nuggets and cookies. The substances were also found in McDonald’s wrappers for its Big Mac sandwich, fries and cookies, and in the paper bags used at Wendy’s."
Additionally, and perhaps more surprisingly, the packaging from more health-focused chains like Sweetgreen and Cava also had PFAS.
Sweetgreen was swift to respond, however, and according to the Post, it planning on "phasing out all of its bowls made with PFAS by the end of the year and has since launched PFAS-free bowls in restaurants."
McDonald's plan of action is less concrete.
According to the article, a source from McDonald's explained that the chain has removed a "significant subset classes of PFASs" from their packaging globally.
The spokesperson continued, "We know there is more progress to be made across the industry and we are exploring opportunities with our supplier partners to go further."
On July 31, the FDA is going to phase out the use of certain PFAS in food packaging.
According to their announcement, "[T]he U.S. Food and Drug Administration is announcing that the manufacturers of certain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) used for grease-proofing in paper and paperboard for food packaging (for example, as coatings on some fast-food wrappers, to-go boxes, and pizza boxes) have voluntarily agreed to phase-out their sales of these substances for use as food contact substances in the United States."
