Stock Your Home · Disposable Food Containers
Stock Your Home Clamshell Take Out Food Containers
Foam food packaging often receives PFAS-based grease treatment.
Solo clamshells are polystyrene foam with unknown water and grease-resistant coatings applied. The brand discloses nothing about PFAS; coating identity stays undisclosed.
The better-graded swap
Eco-Products
Eco-Products Compostable Clear Clamshell Hinged Food
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
polystyrene foam clamshell, likely grease-resistant treated
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.
Styrene monomer leaching
Polystyrene naturally leaches styrene, especially when exposed to heat or fatty/acidic foods. Solo foam clamshells lack published data on leaching rates under real-use conditions (oily takeout, warm storage), making exposure frequency uncertain but plausible.
PFAS
Foam clamshells marketed as grease-resistant typically rely on fluorochemical surface treatments; Solo does not publicly specify whether their coatings are PFAS-free alternatives or legacy PFAS formulations, creating unquantifiable migration risk into fatty foods.
Source, ATSDR ↗Microplastic fragmentation
Foam clamshells degrade into microplastics during normal handling, stacking, and disposal. Repeated opening/closing and contact with warm foods accelerates this shedding, delivering plastic particles directly into food.
Endocrine disruptors
Polystyrene manufacturing and coating applications may include antioxidants, UV stabilizers, or slip agents not fully disclosed; some historical formulations included brominated flame retardants, though less common in food contact grades today.
Source, NIEHS ↗What’s reassuring
BPA & bisphenols
Polystyrene foam clamshells do not typically contain intentional BPA or plasticizer phthalates in formulation; however, if recycled content or pigment additives are used, trace contamination is theoretically possible but not documented for this brand.
Source, FDA ↗The full breakdown
What it's made of and why it matters
Solo clamshells are expanded polystyrene foam (EPS), a petroleum-derived plastic with low melting point (around 210°F). Manufacturers often apply fluorochemical coatings to the interior surface to repel grease and moisture, a function historically dominated by PFAS compounds. When polystyrene contacts hot or fatty foods, the polymer can leach styrene monomer, a known irritant and suspected carcinogen in high exposures. The foam structure also fragments easily into microplastics when handled or washed.
The brand's record and disclosure
Solo (part of Dart Container Corporation) has not made public commitments to PFAS-free food contact materials or detailed ingredient disclosures for their foam coatings. The company does not prominently advertise testing for styrene leaching or microplastic shedding. No major product recalls specific to this line are on record, but the broader category has faced regulatory scrutiny in California, Vermont, and the EU regarding PFAS and styrene limits in food contact applications.
How it compares in its category
Polystyrene foam clamshells are among the worst performers in single-use food packaging for chemical safety, primarily due to probable PFAS coatings and styrene leaching potential. Alternatives include compostable fiber clamshells (bagasse, molded fiber), which avoid both hazards if uncoated, or polyethylene terephthalate (PET) hinged containers, which have lower leaching and lower PFAS treatment rates. Paper-lined containers without fluorochemical treatment present lower concern if available.
If you buy it
Do not use for hot or oily foods above 140°F, as this accelerates styrene and potential PFAS leaching. Store dry foods only and avoid repeated reuse, as foam degrades and sheds microplastics. Do not microwave or dishwash; hand rinse only if absolutely necessary for reuse. Best practice, replace with fiber-based or uncoated paper clamshells for takeout and food storage.
What we don’t know
- Basis
- Model estimate, 42% confidence, not a lab result
- Lab test
- None on record for this exact product
- Brand statement
- Stock Your Home has made none
Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.
Better-graded alternatives in Disposable Food Containers
Eco-Products
Compostable Clear Clamshell Hinged Food
Compostable resin (PLA/PBAT blend, plant-based)
Thermal degradation and chemical release at use temperatures
Limited concern
BPI Certified Compostable certification on record.
✓Verified PFAS-free by a third party
Sustainables 3 Compartment Hinged Lid To Go Food Container
Molded fiber/pulp (plant-based)
Degradation and food contact integrity
Limited concern
Mold or bacterial growth from moisture retention
Limited concern
Lower concern, molded fiber food containers rarely contain PFAS.
⚠Starting grade for this product type
Rubbermaid
TakeAlongs Food Storage Containers 10 Piece Set
polypropylene plastic containers with lids
Microplastics
Limited concern
Leaching from lid components
Limited concern
Mold and bacterial growth in seals
Moderate concern
Lower concern, basic plastic food storage with no known PFAS triggers.
⚠Starting grade for this product type
More disposable food containers 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.