Read the full article from Jeff Kart (Forbes)

“If you’ve heard of PFAS, the group of so-called forever chemicals used to make coatings and products that resist heat, oil, stains, grease, water … and degrading in the environment, here are two more names: Zume and Solenis. The two companies announced today that they’re open-sourcing a PFAS replacement for use in food packaging.

The process is posted at FreeFromPFAS.com, for use by food manufacturers and consumer packaged goods brands around the world, company representatives say.

PFAS stands for per-and polyfluorinated substances used in clothing, furniture, adhesives, food packaging and more. PFAS in firefighting foam has been an issue at military bases.

They’re called forever chemicals because they don’t break down in the environment and can move through soils and contaminate drinking water, not to mention bioaccumulating in fish and wildlife, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They’ve been been linked to potentially harmful health effects, including decreased fertility, weakened immune system response and increased risk for certain cancers.

Zume, based in California, describes itself as a sustainability solutions company that creates economically viable substitutes for single-use plastics. Zume has teamed up with Solenis of Delaware, a leading global producer of specialty chemicals, according to a news release.

Zume says it will no longer make products that contain PFAS, effective immediately. And the company is collaborating with global partners to phase out PFAS use by the end of 2021. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has announced a voluntary phase-out by 2024 of a certain type of PFAS used in food packaging.”…