Three chemical manufacturers have agreed to phase out the use of a group of substances used for grease-proofing on food packaging and take-out containers, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The manufacturers — AGC Chemicals Americas, Archroma  Management, and Daikin America — will ramp down their U.S. sales of short-chain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) used in paper and cardboard food packaging over a three-year period beginning in January 2021.

A fourth manufacturer, Chemours, told the FDA it stopped selling short-chain PFAS in the United States last year.

Recent data from studies on rodents found that short-chain PFAS accumulate in the body. This finding prompted the FDA to push for further study to gauge the health risks to humans from dietary exposure to the substances. Instead of conducting the additional testing, the manufacturers agreed to stop selling short-chain PFAS in the U.S.

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