Cardboard Pizza Boxes
Skip or minimize use; grease-resistant pizza box coatings are a known PFAS concern.
Cardboard boxes likely contain a grease-resistant coating to prevent oil seepage, a common application for PFAS compounds. The brand makes no public disclosure about PFAS or coating composition. No third-party testing or certifications are evident.
The better-graded swap
Who Gives A Crap
Krusty Krab Full Size Pizza Box Costume Prop
70/100 safety
Same rubric that flunked this product. The swap earned Good.
Still want this one anyway? Check the price on Amazon. We’d swap it.
Material
Cardboard with grease-resistant coating (composition unspecified)
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
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What Cardboard Pizza Boxes is made of, ingredients and materials
Boxes are cardboard lined with a grease-resistant coating to prevent oil penetration and maintain structural integrity during transport and storage. The coating composition is not publicly disclosed by the brand, but industry standard for pizza boxes is fluorinated compounds (PFAS-based) or alternative wax/silicone treatments. The unspecified nature of this coating is a transparency gap, leaving consumers unable to confirm whether lower concern alternatives are used. Direct food contact occurs on the interior surface, meaning any coating migration into grease-laden pizza is a plausible exposure route.
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
Industry standard for food-contact cardboard coatings relies heavily on fluorinated compounds to achieve water and grease resistance. Migration into fatty foods (pizza) is thermodynamically favorable; The brand's silence on chemistry suggests no PFAS phase-out policy.
Source, ATSDR ↗PFAS
If coatings are not PFAS-based, alternative additives (plasticizers, crosslinkers, stabilizers) may be used without public disclosure. Without ingredient transparency, non-PFAS hazards cannot be ruled out.
Source, ATSDR ↗Microplastic generation from coating degradation
Aged or heavily greased cardboard may shed coating fragments or particulate matter. No data on box durability or fragmentation rates under typical use.
Printing inks and dyes on exterior
Logo and branding use external inks; food-contact risk is low if inks are on outside only, but interior printing (if present) could leach into food or onto hands.
What’s reassuring
Mold and bacterial growth if stored damp
Cardboard itself is biodegradable and can support mold if exposed to moisture. This is a general cardboard risk, not specific to formulation, but relevant to storage practice.
How is this PFAS grade calculated?
The brand's record and disclosure
The brand has not publicly disclosed the chemical composition of its box coatings or committed to PFAS phase-out policies as of available records. The brand maintains silence on food-contact material safety despite growing regulatory and consumer scrutiny of PFAS in food packaging. No third-party certifications (e.g., FDA food-contact approval statements, compostability seals with chemical verification) are prominently associated with pizza boxes. This lack of transparency contrasts with competitors (e.g., Domino's) that have begun addressing packaging chemical concerns.
How it compares in its category
Most major pizza chains use similar cardboard-with-coating systems; the specific chemistry varies by supplier and region. Some independent and regional pizzerias use uncoated cardboard or certified compostable alternatives, trading some grease leakage risk for lower chemical exposure. Wax-lined boxes (older standard) and silicone-coated options exist but are less common in large-chain distribution due to cost. The brand's boxes are typical of mainstream fast-casual pizza packaging in the US; the PFAS risk profile is widespread in the category, not unique to this brand.
If you buy it
Limit direct food contact by using napkins or allowing pizza to cool before placing it on the cardboard interior; this reduces coating migration into fatty foods. Do not heat pizza while in the box (ovens or microwaves) as heat accelerates chemical leaching. Remove pizza promptly and transfer to a plate or ceramicware for storage or reheating. Recycle the box according to local guidelines if accepted; composting may concentrate PFAS in compost if coatings are not compostable-certified.
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 Cardboard Pizza Boxes?
8" Kraft Paper Open Pizza Box
- Kraft paper (uncoated)
- Chlorine residues from kraft pulp bleaching
4 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
- Cardboard/paper costume prop (non-functional)
- Ink residues and printing compounds
4 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
More pizza boxes 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.