Pizza Boxes
Skip if PFAS-concerned; conventional pizza boxes likely contain fluorinated grease-resistant coatings.
Pizza boxes use standard food-contact paperboard with water- and grease-resistant coatings typical of the industry, but the brand discloses nothing about PFAS presence or absence. The coating formulation is proprietary and unverified by third parties. Consumers concerned about PFAS should seek suppliers making explicit PFAS-free claims.
The better-graded swap
8" Kraft Paper Open Pizza Box
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
paperboard with grease-resistant coating (composition unspecified)
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
You may also be interested in
Top-graded picks in the categories readers replace first, every one scored on the same rubric.
- polypropylene filter housing, carbon/sediment cartridge
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Bacterial growth in spent cartridges
3 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
Aquasure
Premier Series 75 GPD Under Sink Reverse Osmosis Water Filtration System
- RO membrane, carbon filters, stainless steel housing
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Bacterial and microbial growth in housing and filters
4 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
Avocado
Vegan Mattress
- organic cotton, natural latex, coconut coir, recycled steel coils
- The brand calls it PFAS-free, which we have not verified
- Heavy metals
2 hazards checked on this product, all on its full breakdown.
What Pizza Boxes is made of, ingredients and materials
Pizza boxes are paperboard (recycled or virgin fiber) with a grease-resistant coating applied to the interior surface. The coating composition is not disclosed by the brand, but industry standard for pizza boxes is aqueous or solvent-based fluorinated polymers (likely Teflon-type coating-derived or PFOA-type compounds) that repel oil and water. This coating is necessary to prevent grease from saturating the cardboard during storage and transport, but the fluorinated chemistry raises exposure concerns, particularly if the box is reused or its contents contact skin.
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
Pizza boxes almost certainly contain fluorinated polymer coatings (e.g., Teflon-type coating or legacy PFOA-based chemistries) applied to repel grease. These compounds can migrate to food, especially fatty or heated items, and accumulate in the body over time. No testing data is publicly available; this assessment is based on industry standard manufacturing.
Source, ATSDR ↗Coating degradation or flaking
Over time or if wet, grease-resistant coatings can break down, flake, or transfer to food. This is rare with unopened or intact boxes used for intended purposes, but boxes stored in humid conditions or reused for extended periods may shed coating particles.
Microplastic or particulate release from degraded coating
If the fluorinated coating degrades (e.g., from heat, moisture, or handling), microscopic polymer fragments could theoretically contaminate food. This is not a documented problem with boxes under normal use, but reuse or abuse increases this risk.
What’s reassuring
Ink or dye toxicity (exterior printing)
The exterior of boxes uses standard food-contact inks. No recalls or reported contamination linked to box inks have been documented. Inks are typically regulated and should not pose risk if the box is used for food transport and not microwaved.
Thermal release of volatile compounds during heating
Boxes are designed for room-temperature transport, not oven use. Microwaving a pizza box would expose the coating to heat and could promote off-gassing of fluorinated polymers or other volatile residues, though no specific incidents are on record.
How is this PFAS grade calculated?
The brand's record and disclosure
The brand has made no public commitment to PFAS-free packaging or disclosed the specific chemistry of its box coatings. The brand has not issued statements addressing PFAS in food contact materials or pledged transition to alternatives like wax or silicone barriers. This silence is typical across major quick-service pizza chains; few have voluntarily removed fluorinated coatings from pizza boxes. No recalls related to pizza box leaching or coating toxicity have been recorded for specifically.
How it compares in its category
Nearly all commercial pizza boxes use fluorinated grease barriers; The brand's formulation is standard industry practice. Some smaller pizzerias and specialty chains are beginning to adopt alternatives with coatings from clay-based or plant-derived sources that are not materials linked to PFAS, but these remain niche. Consumer-grade pizza boxes sold in retail stores may use wax or non-fluorinated polymers, but delivery pizza boxes from major chains almost universally contain PFAS-type compounds. The brand's lack of differentiation means it carries the category-wide PFAS risk.
If you buy it
Use the box for its intended purpose, short-term food storage and transport. Minimize contact between hot or fatty foods and the coated interior surface; transfer pizza to a plate for eating when possible. Do not reuse pizza boxes for food storage, craft projects, or items that will contact skin or be microwaved. Store boxes in a cool, dry place and discard after one use. If PFAS exposure is a health priority for your household, consider requesting non-fried or alternative-packaged options from competitors, or contact directly to inquire about coating chemistry.
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 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.