PFAS-Free Packaging: How IPACK Tests and Certifies Every Cup
Your EU customer now asks you to prove that your cups meet the PPWR PFAS limits. A supplier declaration is not proof, and a certificate is not a test. IPACK holds third-party reports on paper cups, PET cups and PP cups - including one paper cup sample where total fluorine read 59 mg/kg while targeted PFAS came back non-detect. Here is how to read those numbers before you accept a shipment.
What usually goes wrong when a buyer asks for PFAS proof?
Three failures come up repeatedly in PPWR conversations:
What do our reports actually show?
Each report below was issued by SGS or CTI, names Wuhan Xinyongan Industry and Trade Co., Ltd. as manufacturer, and tests the regulation article itself rather than a generic "PFAS-free" claim.
| Report | Sample | What was tested | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| SGS SHAHL26028396401 08 Sep 2026 | Printed paper cup, shipment to France | PPWR Art. 5(5) total fluorine, ASTM D7359-23 by C-IC | Not detected <20 mg/kg · Pass |
| CTI A2260639716101 31 Jul 2026 | Paper cup and paper lid | PPWR Art. 5(4) heavy metals; Art. 5(5) total fluorine (EN 14582) and targeted PFAS (EN 17681-1) | Heavy metals not detected Total fluorine 59 mg/kg Targeted PFAS not detected PFAS pass · step 2 pending |
| CTI A2260905599102001 21 Oct 2026 | PET cup and PP cup | PPWR Art. 5(5) total fluorine and targeted PFAS | Both not detected <10 mg/kg · Pass |
| CTI A226090559910102 28 Oct 2026 | PP cup | Bisphenols incl. BPA; overall migration in four simulants; 20 heavy metals; primary aromatic amines | All not detected Pass |
| CTI A226090559910101 28 Oct 2026 | PET cup | As above, plus ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol and terephthalic acid | All not detected Pass |
Reports are shown as issued. Copies available on request.
PPWR limit 50 mg/kgcompliantneeds step 2Paper cup (SGS)ND < 20Paper cup (CTI)59PET / PP cup (CTI)ND < 100102030405060
Total fluorine, mg/kg. Two of three cup types came back not detected; one paper cup sample screened above the limit and moved to step 2.
Why did one paper cup read 59 mg/kg and still pass on PFAS?
Because total fluorine and PFAS answer different questions. Commission guidance C/2026/3084 sets a three-step cascade: screen total fluorine, separate organic from inorganic fluorine, then run targeted PFAS only if organic fluorine is still high.
Total fluorine by combustion ion chromatography. Below 50 mg/kg, the sample is compliant. Our PET and PP cups were not detected at a 10 mg/kg reporting limit.
Organic versus inorganic. Above 50 mg/kg, pyrolysis-GC/MS or subtraction of inorganic fluorine shows whether the fluorine is PFAS-derived.
Targeted PFAS by LC-MS/MS with a TOP assay, checked against 25 ppb for any single PFAS and 250 ppb for the sum.
On that paper cup, step 1 returned 59 mg/kg and CTI flagged it for source investigation. Step 3 returned non-detect against both limits. Our reading is that the excess is most likely non-PFAS fluorine from mineral content, and the next document to produce is the organic/inorganic split. Until that exists we treat 59 mg/kg as a screening flag, not a compliance pass - and we say so on the quotation rather than quietly re-testing until a nicer number appears.
What do you get when you order?
✓ A report that names your SKU, your coating and your destination market, not a generic sample.
✓ Both layers of evidence on the same sample: total fluorine plus targeted PFAS.
✓ For plastic cups, the full food-contact package: bisphenols including BPA, overall migration in four simulants, 20 heavy metals, primary aromatic amines, and for PET, ethylene glycol and terephthalic acid.
✓ A one-page summary for your customer's QA team.
Send us the market and the food contact use, and we will confirm which of the five scopes applies to your item. The paper cup range lists the formats already covered.
FAQ
Does a total fluorine result above 50 mg/kg mean my packaging is illegal?
No. It is a screening trigger. Article 5(5)(c) then requires proof of how much of that fluorine is PFAS and how much is not.
Which document should I forward to my customer?
The test report naming your SKU, with both the total fluorine and targeted PFAS lines. Certificates do not answer a PFAS question.
Do paper and plastic cups need the same tests?
Both need total fluorine and targeted PFAS under Article 5(5). Plastic cups also need the food-contact migration package: overall migration, heavy metals, primary aromatic amines, bisphenols under Regulation (EU) 2024/3190, and glycols and terephthalic acid for PET.
Can these reports be issued for my own brand and market?
Yes. Testing is booked against your specification and destination market, and the report names the manufacturer. Ask for the batch frequency you need when you request a quotation.
About IPACK
IPACK (Wuhan XinYongAn Industry and Trade Co., Ltd.) manufactures paper cups, paper bowls, PET and PP cups, lids, cup holders, paper bags and food containers. It runs a 10,000 m² plant and 5,000 m² warehouse in Wuhan, China, holds FSC, BRC, BSCI, SGS and BPI certification, and will exhibit at Gulf Print & Pack 2027 in Dubai on 12–14 January 2027. See the company profile for certification scope.
Have a specification to confirm? Contact our team with your capacity, quantity, and destination market.