Many disposable foodware items, including those used by schools, are made with toxic PFAS chemicals that last forever in the environment and disrupt our hormones to make us sick. These chemicals leach from the plates into our food, which is especially dangerous for children. Over the last three years, CEH has become a leader in providing scientific and technical advice on healthy, sustainable foodware alternatives.

CEH has been educating some of the largest school districts in the country on this issue. For example, after learning about PFAS in foodware from CEH, New York City Public Schools (NYCPS) went to their supplier, one of the largest foodware manufacturers in the country, to request foodware without PFAS. In response, the company created a new product without PFAS that NYCPS now uses to serve lunch to their 1,033,669 students each day when in-person school is in session. CEH educates large-scale purchasers through one-on-one consulting, customized technical assistance, webinars, industry presentations, and user-friendly product guides. These strategies apply pressure on the entire supply chain to transform it from end-to-end toward healthier options. It takes time to transform a supply chain, but when it does shift, it creates a social justice ripple effect making these safer options less expensive and more accessible for everyone.