Round Compostable Molded Fiber Bowl - 24 oz.
Avoid until the brand discloses what coating chemistry was used.
Molded fiber bowls typically need water-resistant coatings that have historically contained PFAS. This brand provides no public information about coating type or PFAS status.
The better-graded swap
Bridge-Gate 12 oz. White Bagasse Bowl (1000 per Case)
100/100 safety
Same rubric that flunked this product. The swap earned Excellent.
Still want this one anyway? Check the price on Amazon. We’d swap it.
Material
Molded fiber (pulp) with unspecified water-repellent coating
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
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What Round Compostable Molded Fiber Bowl oz. is made of, ingredients and materials
This bowl is molded from recycled paper pulp or virgin fiber, a base material that is itself non-toxic and compostable. However, the unspecified water-repellent coating is the critical unknown, manufacturers typically use either PFAS-based (fluorochemical) or non-PFAS alternatives (silicone, wax, clay-based polymers) to make fiber bowls grease-resistant. The brand has not disclosed which chemistry they use, making it impossible to rule out PFAS migration into food, especially fatty or hot items. The coating's durability and breakdown behavior over time are also undocumented.
What’s concerning
Category baseline
The starting point for this type of product, before anything specific to this product is counted.
No PFAS disclosure
No public statement from the brand about PFAS in this product.
Waterproof / stain-resistant treatment
Water-repellent coating treatments have historically used PFAS.
PFAS
Unspecified coating chemistry is typical of PFAS-based formulations; no brand disclosure or testing data publicly available. Risk depends entirely on unknown formulation.
Source, ATSDR ↗Coating degradation and microparticle release
Molded fiber coatings can flake or leach binders under heat, moisture, or mechanical stress. No published durability or migration data exists for this product to quantify the risk.
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Fiber molding adhesives and coating binders may contain low levels of formaldehyde releasers; if present, concentrations in molded fiber are typically far below food-contact thresholds, but undisclosed.
Source, ATSDR ↗What’s reassuring
Heavy metals
Molded fiber bowls rarely contain pigments; coating metals (e.g., antimony catalysts) are not standard in food-contact fluorochemical or silicone formulations used in this class.
Source, FDA ↗Bleaching or processing chemical residues
Pulp bleaching residues (chlorine compounds, hydrogen peroxide) are regulated and typically absent in food-contact grades; no specific non-compliance is on record for this brand's supply chain.
How is this PFAS grade calculated?
The brand's record and disclosure
The brand has maintained silence on coating chemistry and PFAS content despite the growing industry shift toward disclosure. No third-party certifications (such as OK Compost, Cradle to Cradle, or aqueous PFAS testing) are evident in available public records for this specific product line. The lack of transparency about food-contact safety chemistry is a significant red flag for a product marketed to consumers who often choose compostable items specifically to avoid synthetic chemical concerns. Without certification or material data sheets specifying the coating, the brand offers no verifiable assurance of safety.
How it compares in its category
Compostable molded fiber bowls vary widely, premium brands (e.g., World Centric, Footprint) voluntarily disclose non-PFAS coatings and hold certifications; budget alternatives often do not. Standard single-use plastic bowls (PETE or PP) carry no water-repellent coating risk but create landfill/ocean problems. Uncoated paper bowls avoid coating hazards but leak when wet. The brand's product sits in the middle-tier on price but bottom-tier on transparency, making it riskier than competitors with similar claims and better disclosure.
If you buy it
Use only for dry foods, cold items, or warm (not hot) food; avoid prolonged contact with fatty, acidic, or oil-based foods that may accelerate coating breakdown or chemical leaching. Do not microwave or place in direct heat. Inspect the bowl before each use for flaking, softening, or discoloration of the coating, which signals degradation. Compost only if the manufacturer confirms the coating is certified compostable; if unsure, treat as contamination risk for home or industrial compost systems.
What is not known about PFAS in this product?
- Basis
- Model estimate, 45% confidence, not a lab result
- Lab test
- None on record for this exact product
- Brand statement
- has made none
Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.
What are the PFAS-free alternatives to Round Compostable Molded Fiber Bowl - 24 oz.?
Bridge-Gate 12 oz. White Bagasse Bowl (1000 per Case)
- bagasse (sugarcane fiber), uncoated
- A third party reports verifying it as PFAS-free
- Mold or microbial growth during storage or use
3 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
- Kraft molded fiber (uncoated or minimal treatment)
- A third party reports verifying it as PFAS-free
- Moisture absorption and microbial growth
3 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
- sugarcane fiber, Kraft paper coating
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Kraft paper coating migration (processing chemicals, sizing agents)
4 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
More compostable bowls grades
How we score, every product runs through the same public 0-100 rubric based on materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls. See the full methodology → Spotted a mistake? Report an error.