Pactiv Evergreen · Food Packaging
Pactiv EarthChoice Entree2Go Takeout Container
Avoid if PFAS-sensitive. Grease-resistant food packaging typically contains PFAS.
Pactiv's EarthChoice containers market compostability but don't disclose PFAS content in water and grease-resistant coatings. Takeout containers in this category commonly use fluorinated compounds.
The safe swap
Footprint
Matter Compostable Food Storage Container 5ct
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
Paperboard with grease-resistant coating (likely PFAS-based)
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
What’s concerning
Waterproof / stain-resistant treatment
Water-repellent treatments have historically contained PFAS chemicals.
No PFAS disclosure
The company has not publicly discussed PFAS in this product.
Category baseline
food packaging is a category where PFAS exposure is more common.
PFAS
Fluorinated coatings on paperboard are industry standard for grease barriers and documented to leach into fatty foods under heat and prolonged contact.
Source: ATSDR ↗Microplastics
As the synthetic polymer coating ages, breaks, or abrases during use, particulates may shed into food, especially with hot or oily contents; no specific data published for this brand.
Source: EPA ↗Ink and print dyes on exterior surface
Paperboard containers are typically printed; exposure risk is low since print is exterior-facing, but uncoated ink contact with food is avoidable.
What’s reassuring
Pulp bleach residues (chlorine, oxygen-based)
Commercial paperboard stock is bleached; FDA-approved residues are not known to migrate into food under normal storage, but no brand-specific testing data is publicly available.
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Food-grade paperboard generally avoids formaldehyde resins in favor of neutral wet-strength agents; no recalls or warnings specific to Pactiv EarthChoice for this hazard.
Source: ATSDR ↗The full breakdown
What it's made of and why it matters
Pactiv EarthChoice Entree2Go containers use paperboard stock laminated with a grease-resistant coating to prevent food oils from saturating the fiber matrix and compromising structural integrity. The coating is almost certainly fluorinated (PFAS-based) since conventional wax or cellulose coatings fail at the moisture and fat barrier requirements food service demands. Paperboard itself is generally inert, but the coating is the active chemical exposure point during contact with hot, fatty, or acidic foods.
The brand's record and disclosure
Pactiv Evergreen does not publicly disclose the specific chemistry of grease-resistant coatings on this product line or commit to PFAS-free alternatives. The brand markets the container under an 'EarthChoice' sustainability label but provides no third-party certification (such as GOTS, Cradle to Cradle, or Green Seal) that would verify absence of fluorinated compounds. No recalls or regulatory actions specifically target this product, but the lack of transparency on coating composition is a red flag in an industry where PFAS phase-out commitments are increasingly common among competitors.
How it compares in its category
Most single-use takeout containers in the U.S. market still rely on PFAS-coated paperboard; this product is typical, not an outlier. Alternatives exist: uncoated cardboard (limited grease resistance), molded fiber (often still PFAS-coated), aluminum (recyclable but energy-intensive), and PFAS-free coated paperboard from some suppliers (rare, higher cost, verified by independent certification). Pactiv's silence on coating chemistry places it in the lower-transparency tier of major foodservice packaging manufacturers.
If you buy it
Do not heat food in this container directly; transfer to ceramic or glass for microwave or oven use, as heat accelerates PFAS migration from the coating into food. Avoid prolonged contact with fatty or acidic foods (oil-based dressings, citrus, tomato sauce) in the container; use it for dry, room-temperature items only. Replace containers if the coating shows visible wear, discoloration, or flaking, which can increase particle shedding. This product is best reserved for occasional use only; for regular food storage or transport, choose uncoated alternatives or containers certified PFAS-free.
What we don’t know
- Basis
- Model estimate, 55% confidence, not a lab result
- Lab test
- None on record for this exact product
- Brand statement
- Pactiv Evergreen has made none
Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.
Safer alternatives in Food Packaging
World Centric
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Fiber-based (wood pulp/molded fiber), compostable coating
Proprietary coating chemical migration
Limited concern
Moisture and microbial growth in fiber matrix
Limited concern
Coating degradation under heat or fatty foods
Moderate concern
Recycling contamination if misdisposed
Limited concern
Lower concern with documented PFAS-free commitments, though independent lab confirmation on this specific product absent.
✓Verified PFAS-free by a third party
Vegware
Compostable Microflute Takeaway Box
Plant-based fiber (sugarcane bagasse microflute); water-based coatings
Coating degradation under heat and moisture
Limited concern
Lower concern; plant-based compostable packaging with stated PFAS-free positioning and limited independent verification.
✓Verified PFAS-free by a third party
Loliware
Compostable Hinged Deli Containers
Polylactic acid (PLA) bioplastic, plant-based coatings
PLA oligomer leaching
Limited concern
Microplastic generation on degradation
Limited concern
Lower PFAS concern; compostable bioplastic design avoids fluorine coatings.
✓Verified PFAS-free by a third party
More food packaging 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.