{"id":1108633,"date":"2026-02-27T09:00:35","date_gmt":"2026-02-27T09:00:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sercalia.com\/?p=1108633"},"modified":"2026-08-25T19:38:05","modified_gmt":"2026-08-25T19:38:05","slug":"ban-on-pfas-in-food-packaging-under-the-ppwr","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sercalia.com\/en\/ban-on-pfas-in-food-packaging-under-the-ppwr\/","title":{"rendered":"Ban on PFAS in food packaging under the PPWR and European regulation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Ban on PFAS in food packaging: application of the PPWR in Spain under European rules<\/h1>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
\"PFAS<\/span><\/div>

The <\/span>ban on PFAS in food packaging forms<\/b><\/a> part of a broader set of <\/span>European guidelines and regulations<\/b> aimed at strengthening food safety and sustainability. The new Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) consolidates this approach and establishes rules that are directly applicable in Spain and across the European Union, with a structural impact on the European food industry and on the design of sustainable packaging.<\/span><\/p>\n

The PPWR is part of the legislative package derived from the European Green Deal and the Circular Economy Strategy, with the objective of reducing the environmental impact of packaging throughout its entire life cycle and ensuring a high level of protection of human health.<\/span><\/p>\n

As a regulation, the PPWR is legally binding in all its elements and directly applicable in the Member States. This means that Spain must adapt its administrative and control practices to the common European framework without the need for national transposition.<\/span><\/p>\n

In this context, the <\/span>ban on PFAS<\/b> in food packaging<\/b> is based on the precautionary principle enshrined in EU law and on the need to harmonise rules on food contact materials within the internal market.<\/span><\/p>\n

European regulatory background<\/b><\/h2>\n

The restriction of PFAS substances does not arise in isolation, but is aligned with several existing European regulations and strategies. Among these is <\/span>Regulation (EC) No 1935\/2004<\/span><\/a> on materials and articles intended to come into contact with food, which establishes that such materials must not transfer their constituents to food in quantities that could endanger human health.<\/span><\/p>\n

In addition, the REACH Regulation on the registration, evaluation and restriction of chemicals already identifies many PFAS as substances of very high concern due to their persistence and bioaccumulation.<\/span><\/p>\n

The PPWR strengthens this framework by introducing specific requirements for packaging and moving from a general regulatory approach towards an <\/span>explicit restriction on the use of PFAS<\/b> in food-related applications. This initiative has been driven by the European Commission and adopted following the ordinary legislative procedure by the European Parliament and the Council.<\/span><\/p>\n

Impact or consequences for the industry<\/b><\/h2>\n

The <\/span>ban on PFAS in food packaging<\/b>, in accordance with the <\/span>PPWR<\/span><\/a> and European packaging legislation, will have direct consequences for the <\/span>European food industry<\/b>. Economic operators will be required to ensure that the materials used comply both with food safety standards and with environmental objectives.<\/span><\/p>\n

In Spain, the sectors most affected will be:<\/span><\/p>\n