Such chemicals help keep molded fiber containers from getting soggy but persist in the environment and have been implicated in adverse health effects. Sweetgreens partnered with Footprint to develop new, PFAS-free, compostable bowls.
“Obviously, a big part of our impact is our packaging, and it’s something we’re constantly looking at and iterating and understanding how we can evolve it,” Sweetgreen cofounder Nic Jammet tells Fast Company.
Footprint uses agricultural waste bagasse, molds, heat, pressure, and a biobased coating to make its containers. While the nation-wide launch of the new bowls is slated for later this year, Sweetgreens is already using the bowl in San Francisco after the city banned PFAS is takeout containers on January 1.