Pactiv Evergreen · Food Packaging
Pactiv EarthChoice Tamper Evident Recycled Hinged Lid Deli Container 16 oz
Avoid unless Pactiv publicly confirms PFAS-free materials.
Pactiv's recycled deli container has a grease-resistant coating with no public PFAS statement. Most grease-resistant food packaging uses PFAS to repel oils without brand confirmation.
The safe swap
World Centric
World Centric Compostable Fiber Compost-A-Pak Containers
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
recycled plastic with undisclosed grease-resistant coating
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
Undisclosed coating formulation on recycled plastic almost certainly contains fluorinated compounds for grease repellency; manufacturer silence on this is significant given industry prevalence of PFAS in food-contact barriers.
Source: ATSDR ↗Microplastics
Recycled plastic and applied coatings can degrade over time or under friction, potentially releasing particles into food. Risk is higher for fatty foods that soften coatings, or if the container is scratched or reused extensively.
Source: EPA ↗Leaching of coating additives with heat or fatty foods
Even if PFAS-free, grease-resistant coatings contain surfactants and polymeric additives that migrate into oils and lipids more readily than into water or dry foods. Microwave use or storage of bacon grease, fatty cheese, or oil-based dressings increases this risk.
Undisclosed chemical composition
Pactiv has not voluntarily disclosed the specific coating chemistry, which is a documented transparency gap across the industry for recycled food-contact plastics. This limits consumer ability to assess true safety.
What’s reassuring
BPA & bisphenols
No specific contamination recalls or test data are on record for this product line. Recycled plastic can contain residues from prior polycarbonate or epoxy coatings, but regulatory limits and sorting practices generally control this risk below concern thresholds.
Source: FDA ↗The full breakdown
What it's made of and why it matters
This container is made from recycled plastic (likely polypropylene or polyethylene terephthalate blend based on typical deli-container specs) with an undisclosed grease-resistant surface coating applied to prevent leakage. The manufacturer has not publicly specified whether this coating contains PFAS compounds, which are commonly used in food-contact grease barriers to repel oils and water. Recycled plastic can concentrate contaminants from prior uses, though regulatory limits apply at sale. The lack of transparency on coating chemistry is the primary safety concern here.
The brand's record and disclosure
Pactiv Evergreen has maintained public silence on PFAS content in its food-contact products despite industry-wide pressure to disclose or eliminate these compounds. The company has not published third-party testing, PFAS-free certifications, or phaseout timelines comparable to competitors like Footprint or some private-label providers. No major product recalls or safety violations specific to this container line are on public record, but the absence of proactive disclosure is a red flag for environmentally or health-conscious consumers. Industry tracking suggests many recycled-content food containers still use PFAS-based coatings unless explicitly certified otherwise.
How it compares in its category
Deli containers in this price tier typically use either virgin or recycled plastic with grease barriers; this product's recycled content is a cost and environmental advantage, but places it in the middle of the safety spectrum. Competitors offering PFAS-free or plant-based coatings (e.g., Vegware, World Centric) command a premium and provide explicit third-party verification. Conventional virgin-plastic deli containers from major suppliers often carry the same PFAS uncertainty, so this product is not uniquely risky within its market segment, but neither does it lead on transparency.
If you buy it
Use this container for cold or room-temperature foods only; do not microwave or place in hot water, as heat can accelerate migration of coating compounds into fatty or acidic foods. Store fatty deli meats, cheeses, or oily prepared foods for no longer than a few days to limit contact time with the coating. Replace the container if the interior surface becomes visibly scratched, sticky, or cloudy, as coating degradation increases leaching risk. For frequent or long-term food storage, consider switching to glass or certified PFAS-free alternatives.
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
- 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
Compostable Fiber Compost-A-Pak Containers
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.