Glad · Grease-Resistant Deli & Butcher Paper
Glad Round Disposable Paper Plates
Disposable plates likely contain grease-resistant coating, PFAS status unknown.
Glad paper plates are coated for water and grease resistance, a common PFAS application in this category. Glad discloses no coating composition or PFAS status.
The better-graded swap
IDL Packaging
Idl Packaging White Butcher Paper 18" x 12000" Natural Butcher Paper Roll for Meat and Fish
95/100 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
paper with moisture/grease-resistant coating
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
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
The grease-resistant coating chemistry is proprietary and undisclosed. If silicone-based, migration into hot or fatty foods is theoretically possible but not well-studied for this specific product. No published recalls for leaching from Glad plates.
Source, ATSDR ↗What’s reassuring
Microplastics
No evidence of microplastic shedding from intact Glad paper plates under normal use. Degradation or damage during storage or use could release coating fragments, but this is not documented.
Source, EPA ↗Formaldehyde / VOCs
Paper pulp and coatings may contain trace formaldehyde from manufacturing or additives, but Glad has not disclosed adhesive or binder chemistry. Formaldehyde risk from food-contact paper products is generally low compared to textiles.
Source, ATSDR ↗Bleach residues or processing chemicals
Paper pulp is typically bleached during manufacture. Residual chlorine or other bleach byproducts are not typically a concern at levels in finished plates, but Glad does not publish processing standards or testing.
Heavy metals
If the plates have printed decoration or pigmented coating, cadmium, lead, or other heavy metals are theoretically possible but not reported for Glad products. The round plates shown are plain white, minimizing this risk.
Source, FDA ↗The full breakdown
What it's made of and why it matters
Glad Round Disposable Paper Plates are paper pulp substrate with a moisture and grease-resistant coating. This coating is almost certainly fluorochemical-based (PFAS-containing) or silicone-based, but Glad does not publicly specify which. The coating prevents oil and water from soaking through, but also means the product cannot be easily recycled and may leach coating components into hot or fatty foods.
The brand's record and disclosure
Glad (owned by Clorox) has not published any PFAS transparency statement or phase-out commitment for its food-contact products as of public record. The company has faced no major recalls or regulatory actions specific to these plates. Glad does not list ingredient composition or coating type on packaging or website for consumer review, limiting independent assessment.
How it compares in its category
Disposable paper plates with moisture barriers are ubiquitous in North America; most major brands (Hefty, Chinet, store labels) use similar coatings of unspecified chemistry. Some competitors have begun offering products with coatings not linked to PFAS or compostable variants, but these remain less common and costlier. Uncoated paper plates eliminate coating risk but absorb grease and are unsuitable for wet foods.
If you buy it
Use for room-temperature or warm (not hot) foods and beverages to reduce the risk of coating leaching. Avoid prolonged contact with fatty, acidic, or heated items (microwave use not recommended). Do not compost; dispose as regular waste. If PFAS or coating safety becomes a concern, switch to uncoated paper, ceramic, or glass dishes for frequent use.
What we don’t know
- Basis
- Model estimate, 45% confidence, not a lab result
- Lab test
- None on record for this exact product
- Brand statement
- Glad has made none
Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.
Better-graded alternatives in Grease-Resistant Deli & Butcher Paper
IDL Packaging
White Butcher Paper 18" x Natural Butcher Paper Roll for Meat and Fish
bleached paper, uncoated
Mold or microbial growth during storage
Limited concern
Brand PFAS statement on record, which we have not verified.
⚠Starting grade for this product type
IDL Packaging
White Butcher Paper 18" x 12000" Natural Butcher Paper Roll for Meat and Fish
bleached kraft paper, no specified coating
Ink or printing residue (if printed side contacts food)
Limited concern
Mold or microbial growth during storage
Limited concern
Brand PFAS statement on record, which we have not verified.
⚠Starting grade for this product type
If You Care
Parchment Baking Sheets
unbleached parchment paper, silicone coating
Silicone coating degradation under heat stress
Limited concern
Mold or microbial growth if stored damp
Limited concern
Brand no-added-PFAS claim and a 2021 lab result with no fluorine detected.
✓Lab test found no PFAS
More grease-resistant deli & butcher paper 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.