In a few days’ time, Maine’s new rule prohibiting PFAS in plant-fiber food packaging will come into force.
From May 25, 2026, manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors will be prohibited from selling food packaging made from paper, paperboard, or other plant-fiber materials in Maine if PFAS have been intentionally added in any quantity above incidental trace levels.
The regulation covers bags, sleeves, bowls, and similar containers intended for direct food contact and short-term storage.
Maine has been one of the most proactive US states on chemical safety in packaging, and this measure is part of a broader PFAS phase-out that has been rolling out since January 2026, when a wider sales ban on products with intentionally added PFAS took effect across a range of consumer goods categories.
The food packaging rule targets the plant-fiber sector, where grease-resistant coatings containing PFAS have historically been the norm for products such as fast-food wrappers and bakery bags.
The practical challenge for food service operators and their packaging suppliers is verification. Unlike a simple material switch, PFAS contamination is not visible and requires testing or full chain-of-custody documentation from converters and raw material suppliers.
Businesses that have not yet completed their transition or obtained compliant alternatives should be treating this as urgent.
With several other US states — including Colorado, Minnesota, and New York — having passed or advancing similar restrictions, Maine’s rule is best understood not as a local quirk but as an early indicator of the direction the whole country is moving.
For more info, see the Maine Toxics in Food Packaging Program
