Read the full article by Mitchell Willetts (Miami Herald)
“In a victory for health and environmental safety advocates, the world’s largest fast-food chain has promised to stop using potentially harmful chemicals in its packaging.
McDonald’s on Wednesday announced it will remove all PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) from wrappers, containers, and any other packaging served to guests by 2025.
PFAS are a category of man-made chemicals that can be found in a variety of manufactured items, from cookware to clothing and more. They are often used in food packaging to create grease- and water-resistant containers.
Sometimes called ‘forever chemicals,’ certain PFAS take a long time to break down and can accumulate in the environment, drinking water and in the human body.
Some may cause cancer, result in low infant birth weights, and increase cholesterol levels, among a host of other health issues, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
The McDonald’s announcement comes just a few months after an August report found packaging used by several popular fast-food restaurant chains contained dangerous fluorine levels, McClatchy News previously reported.
Besides McDonald’s, researchers found the chemicals in products served by Burger King, Wendy’s, Cava, Freshii, and Sweetgreen, McClatchy reported…”