Rubbermaid Review, Is Rubbermaid Non-Toxic?
PFAS Authority is a scoring system, not a laboratory. We do not test products ourselves. Grades are model-based, built from published ingredients, materials, certifications, brand disclosures and third-party lab results where they exist. See the rubric.
Across 16 graded products, Rubbermaid averages Good (67/100). On disclosure, the brand says nothing publicly about PFAS. 14 of its products grade Good or better. Grades are model-based estimates, not lab results.
Worth buying from Rubbermaid Good or better, safest first
Rubbermaid
24 pc Rubbermaid Easy Find Lid Containers & 8 pc Stainless Container Set
Polypropylene plastic containers and stainless steel
Microplastics
Repeated heating, freezing cycles, and mechanical wear can cause microscopic PP…
Monomer leaching from polypropylene
Polypropylene contains trace unreacted monomers (propylene oligomers). Leaching is…
Lid gasket degradation and bacterial growth
Rubber or silicone seals on lids can degrade or harbor bacteria if not cleaned thoroughly…
Lower concern; bare stainless and standard polypropylene unlikely PFAS sources
⚠Risky category by default
Rubbermaid
24 Pc Easy Find Lid Containers & 8 Pc Stainless Container Set - New Home
Polypropylene and stainless steel (bare, uncoated)
Plastic degradation and microplastic shedding
Repeated heating, thermal shock, or mechanical stress (cracking, warping) of PP lids can…
Lid gasket or seal degradation
Gasket materials are not detailed in available product specifications; if elastomer seals…
Lower PFAS concern. Bare stainless steel and polypropylene containers.
⚠Risky category by default
Rubbermaid
TakeAlongs Food Storage Containers 10 Piece Set
polypropylene plastic containers with lids
Microplastics
Repeated thermal stress, UV exposure, and dishwasher cycling can cause PP to shed…
Leaching from lid components
Lids often contain rubber or silicone seals and metal springs that may have minor…
Mold and bacterial growth in seals
Rubbermaid TakeAlongs have documented user complaints of mold or residue trapped in lid…
Lower concern, basic plastic food storage with no known PFAS triggers.
⚠Risky category by default
Rubbermaid
TakeAlongs Meal Prep Containers
polypropylene (PP) container, polyester gasket
Microplastics
Repeated heating in microwaves or dishwashers can cause PP to crack and shed…
Polyester gasket degradation
Polyester gaskets can gradually lose elasticity over months to years, reducing seal…
Odor absorption and food flavor transfer
PP is known to absorb strong odors (garlic, curry, vinegar) and can impart plastic taste…
Lower concern for PFAS, no Teflon-family coating coatings typical of this type.
⚠Risky category by default
Rubbermaid
TakeAlongs 3.2-Cup Round Food Container 4-Pack
Polypropylene plastic container with snap-lock lid
Microplastic shedding from degradation
Repeated heating above 100°C, prolonged UV exposure, or mechanical damage can cause…
Mold or bacterial growth in lid seals
The snap-lock lid design creates crevices that can trap water and food residue if not…
Odor absorption and chemical transfer from external sources
Polypropylene is porous at the molecular level and can absorb strong odors or volatile…
Lower concern, basic plastic food storage without known PFAS coatings.
⚠Risky category by default
Rubbermaid
TakeAlongs 6.2 Cup Medium Bowls (6-Piece Set)
Polypropylene (PP) plastic bowls with snap lids
Microplastic migration during heating
PP is not microwave-safe and will degrade if exposed to sustained heat above 100C. Users…
Odor and chemical absorption from food
PP absorbs oils and pigments (e.g., tomato sauce) and can retain odors; this does not…
Lid seal degradation over time
Snap lids experience mechanical wear with repeated opening and thermal stress from…
Lower concern, plain PP food storage containers rarely contain PFAS.
⚠Risky category by default
Rubbermaid
TakeAlongs Divided Food Storage Container
Polypropylene (PP) plastic container and lid
Additive leaching (PP stabilizers and colorants)
Polypropylene food containers use calcium carbonate, pigments, and processing aids as…
Microplastics
Repeated heating, stress-cracking, and UV exposure can degrade PP surface over years of…
Mold and bacterial growth (maintenance-related)
The hinged lid and divided compartments create crevices where food residue and moisture…
Lower concern, standard PP food container with no PFAS indicators.
⚠Risky category by default
Rubbermaid
TakeAlongs Special-Edition Americana Food Storage Container Set
Polypropylene (PP) plastic containers
Microplastic shedding when heated
Repeated microwaving and thermal cycling can cause slow degradation and microscopic…
Off-gassing or odor (non-chemical)
New PP containers sometimes emit a mild plastic odor that fades within days to weeks…
Lower concern, polypropylene food storage unlikely to contain PFAS.
⚠Risky category by default
Rubbermaid
TakeAlongs
Polypropylene plastic containers with snap lids
Microplastic shedding when heated
If containers are heated above polypropylene's safe use temperature (typically below…
Odor or taste transfer from degraded plastic
Long-term use, UV exposure, or repeated washing may cause the polypropylene to degrade…
Mold or bacterial growth inside snap lids
The snap-lid design can trap moisture and food residue in crevices, creating conditions…
Lower concern, standard plastic storage with no high-risk coatings found.
⚠Risky category by default
Rubbermaid
Brilliance 20-Piece Food Storage Container Set
Plastic polymer (polypropylene/copolyester blend) with clear lids
Microplastics
Microwave use or prolonged exposure to temperatures above 160°F accelerates polypropylene…
Bacterial/mold growth from seal failure
Lids may lose airtight fit after repeated washing or thermal stress. Consumer reviews…
Coating degradation and lid material leaching
Copolyester lids may degrade slightly with repeated dishwasher cycles or prolonged…
Lower concern for PFAS, but Rubbermaid has not publicly committed to PFAS-free manufacturing.
⚠Risky category by default
Rubbermaid
Brilliance 36-Pc. Food Storage Set
BPA-free plastic (polypropylene/copolyester blend)
Microplastics
Polypropylene containers can fragment or leach microparticles if cracked, scratched, or…
Heat-induced leaching
Polypropylene can release oligomers and other compounds at elevated temperatures (above…
Lid seal degradation
Rubber or silicone gaskets in lids degrade over time and with repeated washing, reducing…
Mold/bacterial growth from poor ventilation
Sealed containers trap moisture; improper drying before storage or leaving condensation…
Lower concern for food storage; rigid plastic containers unlikely to contain PFAS, but brand discloses nothing about PFAS or coatings.
⚠Risky category by default
Rubbermaid
Flex Seal 28-pc. Food Storage Set
Polypropylene (PP) plastic lids and containers
Microplastic generation from wear
Repeated mechanical stress from stacking, opening, and closing lids can cause microscopic…
Oligomer leaching under heat or lipid contact
PP can release low-molecular-weight oligomers into fatty or acidic foods, especially if…
Lid seal degradation
Consumer reports indicate that PP lids on mass-market storage sets can lose flexibility…
Lower PFAS concern; standard rigid food storage containers without intentional coatings or treatments.
⚠Risky category by default
Rubbermaid
EasyStore Containers with Lids 30-Piece Set
polypropylene (PP) plastic containers and lids
Microplastics
Repeated heating above recommended limits or prolonged UV exposure may cause PP to become…
Unreacted monomers and oligomers leaching at elevated temperatures
Polypropylene may release trace levels of unreacted propylene or other oligomeric…
Lid seal degradation and bacterial colonization
Silicone or rubber gaskets in lids can degrade, crack, or harbor bacteria if not dried…
Lower-concern choice; rigid food-storage plastics rarely contain intentional PFAS, but Rubbermaid should clarify.
⚠Risky category by default
Rubbermaid
EasyStore Medium Rectangle Containers 18-Piece Set
polypropylene (PP) plastic containers and lids
Microplastics
If containers are microwaved at high power or exposed to boiling liquids repeatedly…
Lid seal degradation and mold/bacterial growth
User reports on retail sites occasionally mention lid warping or seal failure after…
Lower concern; basic plastic food storage with no known PFAS triggers, but no brand transparency.
⚠Risky category by default
Graded and flagged Poor and Bad, we’d swap these
Rubbermaid
Brilliance StainShield Plastic Food Storage Containers
Polypropylene (PP) plastic with stain-resistant treatment
PFAS
The StainShield coating's chemical composition is undisclosed. Stain-resistant coatings…
Coating degradation and migration
Over time, any proprietary coating on plastic can degrade, flake, or migrate into food…
Microplastic shedding from wear
Repeated scratching, washing, or thermal stress on the plastic surface or stain-resistant…
Heat-induced leaching from coating
If stored or reheated at temperatures above 80°C, the stain-resistant coating may begin…
Lower concern for rigid food-storage plastic, but stain-resistance treatment warrants caution without disclosure.
⚠Risky category by default
Rubbermaid
Sidekick Small Ice Chest Cooler Lunchbox Flip Top Purple &
Plastic (PE/PP) with waterproof/insulating liner
Microplastic shedding or leaching
While PE/PP are stable at cold temperatures, mechanical wear from repeated opening…
Bacterial or mold growth in foam liner
Closed-cell foam liners can trap moisture and become sites for microbial growth if not…
Off-gassing or odor from new plastic
New PE/PP coolers may emit a faint plastic or chemical odor for the first few uses due to…
Likely lower PFAS concern, but no brand transparency on water treatments.
⚠Waterproof or stain-proof treatment
Every grade uses the same public rubric. How grades work →