Bill Introduced to Remove Fluorinated Chemicals From Fast Food Wrappers

By Heather Callaghan, Editor

We recently reported on a comprehensive analysis that  found PFASs (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), also known as PFCs in the wrappers and packages of hundreds of fast food and take-out samples. These chemicals are used on the packaging to keep in heat and be heat, water and grease-resistant.

Worse yet, the analysis found that these highly fluorinated chemicals do indeed leach into the food – which, as our readers know, is not so great to begin with. Consider this: when you eat fast food, you are making a conscious choice and already know that there are unhealthy ingredients. Yet, this whole time, no one knew of the packaging chemicals secretly bleeding into their fries, burgers, pizza and subs. That means they didn’t have a choice – they lacked the crucial information to make the decision whether to eat or abstain.

Mere moments after hearing about the report, Rep. Joan McBride, D-Kirkland, WA, took action by introducing HB 1744 in order to “rewrite the recipe on food wrappers.” Feeling it’s time for some innovation, she said, “we need move beyond those kinds of chemicals.” The bill would ban the use of the chemicals but allow exemptions for a case-by-case basis.

She was said to have appeared before the House Committee on Environment with her bill late last week, but no updates on that, yet.

KOMO News shared this Tweet:

Rep Joan McBride says her proposal to get perfluorinated out of food packaging would allow businesses some exemptions #komonews pic.twitter.com/uN0iY9qJQi

— Joel Moreno (@JoelMorenoKOMO) February 2, 2017

Some people do not support such bans or transitions because they believe it hurts commerce. A real solution would be to take corporate sponsorship out of science so that science is free to actually test things that are detrimental to human health before they go on to the market. Make regulatory agencies do their jobs instead of taking the word of the corporations and force them to innovate safer ways of making a buck.

The story of Rep. Joan McBride introducing HB 1744 was a mere blurb that, so far, has not disclosed any of the bill’s text. Could that be because fast food chains are among the biggest sponsors of the media? Is it just a stunt that leads to a dead end? We will find out, but it would be wise if we press our representatives to take this issue seriously.

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Many of us have given up fast food, but we all have friends, family and know children in our lives who are unwittingly exposed to another endocrine disaster wrapped in a smile – one that could lead to cancer. The fact that fast food companies use addictive ingredients like MSG also brings up the question of whether most people are acting out of choice or not. People have a right to choose fast food but they do not deserve to be given invisible poisons – there’s no reason to have PFAS fast food and raise disease risk in the consumers of 2017.

Heather Callaghan is an independent researcher, writer, speaker and food freedom activist. She is the Editor and co-founder of NaturalBlaze as well as certified Self-Referencing Practitioner. 

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