Gov. Andrew Cuomo has signed a bill to ban toxic PFAS compounds from food packaging that is commonly found in items ranging from pizza boxes to milk cartons and pastry bags, as well as being used in wrappings for meat and fish. “When we buy food from the grocery store or takeout from a restaurant, we assume that product is safe for our families,” said Democratic Assemblywoman Patricia Fahy of Albany, who sponsored the legislation along with state Sen. Brad Hoylman, D-Manhattan. “PFAS — a dangerous and cancer-causing class of chemicals commonly used in everyday food packaging — however, is anything but safe for New Yorkers.”
PFAS, or perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl chemicals, have drawn public scrutiny in recent years when they have turned up in some municipal water supplies. They can come from manufacturing, which resulted in water pollution in Hoosick Falls, or from firefighting foam used in fire drills, as in the Catskills community of Cairo. Often known as “forever chemicals,” due to their strong bonds, PFAS chemicals can remain in a person’s bloodstream for long periods of time. They are associated with cancer, thyroid malfunctions and other health problems.