The Mind the Store campaign and Toxic-Free Future discovered that over half of all take-out food packaging tested from numerous big restaurant chains includes potentially toxic substances.
According to the new investigation, all six companies, including top fast-food chains Burger King, McDonald’s, and Wendy’s, as well as top health-conscious food chains Cava, Freshii, and Sweetgreen, had one or more food packaging items that contained toxic PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances)—chemicals known to be harmful to human health.
The testing indicates that harmful PFAS treatment was used in both McDonald’s “Big Mac” container and Burger King’s “Whopper” wrapper, as well as all salad bowls from the health-conscious establishments.
Testing revealed that a McDonald’s French fry bag, a Burger King chicken nuggets bag, and cookie bags from all three burger restaurants showed fluorine levels above the screening standard, implying harmful PFAS treatment.
Scientists have discovered associations between PFAS exposure and a variety of health issues such as cancer, liver damage, lower fertility, and asthma. They have the potential to impair our immune systems, rendering us more susceptible to infectious illnesses like COVID-19.
Without national regulation of harmful PFAS, fast action by food retailers to address PFAS in food-packaging materials is unlikely, unless we, as customers, demand that these chains STOP murdering us and the environment.
Reference- Toxic-Free Future Report, Break Free From Plastic Newsletter, Science Alert, The Intercept, FDA website