PFAS – per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances – are a family of man-made chemicals with known connections to myriad health impacts, including cancer, hormone disruption, and reproductive and developmental harm, and they’re in our food. The compounds do not break down in the environment and can build up in our bodies as we are gradually exposed, earning them the nickname “forever chemicals.” Chemicals in this class are used in a variety of consumer goods, from weather-resistant clothing to furniture and carpeting and even dental floss, making exposure inevitable. PFAS are ubiquitous, with biomonitoring showing they are present in nearly all tested Americans.

Given the harmful nature of these chemicals and the increasing negative attention to PFAS by consumers, academics, and media, companies should begin assessing the necessity of their use. Recently, consumer health advocates have pushed food companies to eliminate PFAS from food packaging, where their use is particularly alarming. In 2020, the Mind the Store Campaign released a report noting that several of the nation’s largest fast food chains, including McDonald’s, Burger King, and Wendy’s, all had packaging with elevated levels of fluorine, suggesting PFAS treatment. Following the report, McDonald’s received a flood of consumer petitions urging the company to stop using PFAS-treated food packaging.

Shareholders, building on a successful track record of removing BPA, PFOA, phthalates, and other harmful chemicals from food packaging, now are highlighting risks to consumers and the company from PFAS. As You Sow and First Affirmative co-filed a shareholder resolution asking McDonald’s to report on the public health risks related to chemicals used in food packaging, expressing particular concerns around PFAS.

In January, McDonald’s demonstrated leadership by announcing the phase-out of PFAS from its packaging globally by 2025. Investors now want the company to investigate its chemical risks more broadly and establish a plan for reducing its total chemical footprint, a strategy designed to end the whack-a-mole approach to toxic chemicals – and proactively plan for risk management. Simultaneously, investors want Burger King and Wendy’s to follow suit and commit to eliminate chemical-treated food packaging. Rather than waiting for regulations to catch up to science, companies must proactively investigate, manage, and report on chemical risks in their business.