(CNN)What’s the first thing you should worry about when you look at the packaging on your fast food or takeout?
No, it’s not Covid-19 — science assures us the risk of catching the novel coronavirus that way is miniscule.
Worry instead about the toxic chemicals coating the wrappers of your fast food burger or your molded-fiber container full of salad or veggies, says a new report by environmental advocacy groups Toxic-Free Future and Mind the Store. It’s a campaign run by Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families to encourage manufacturers to avoid toxic chemicals in products.
The report, entitled “Packaged in Pollution: Are food chains using PFAS in packaging?,” was released Thursday.
Testing by the groups revealed toxic PFAS substances — man-made perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl chemicals — in the food packaging of Burger King’s “Whopper,” chicken nuggets and cookies; in Wendy’s paper bags; and in McDonald’s wrappers for the “Big Mac,” french fries and cookies.
“As the largest fast-food chain in the world, McDonald’s has a responsibility to its customers to keep them safe. These dangerous chemicals don’t belong in its food packaging. I, for one, am NOT ‘lovin’ it,'” said Mike Schade, Mind the Store campaign director, in a statement.
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