S 4724 — No Toxic Chemicals in Food Packaging Act of 2026

Summary

Designates specific chemicals as unsafe for use in food packaging and food contact materials, including ortho-phthalates, PFAS, bisphenol compounds, acrylamide, asbestos, benzene, formaldehyde, and styrene polymers.
Requires the Food and Drug Administration to evaluate alternative chemicals proposed to replace the banned substances, considering potential adverse effects on vulnerable populations including children, pregnant women, and workers.
Takes effect two years after the bill becomes law, giving manufacturers time to reformulate food packaging.
Preserves the authority of states and local governments to adopt stricter regulations on chemicals in food packaging.
Does not affect state or local legal rights and remedies related to chemical exposures in food contact materials.

AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.

Sponsor (1)

Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT] (D-CT)

5 cosponsors

Money behind the sponsor

Top reported contributors to Richard Blumenthal’s campaign committee (2024 cycle) — who funds the bill’s sponsor, not a claim about this bill. Data from FEC.

APOLLO GLOBAL MANAGEMENT $9,500
FREEPOINT COMMODITIES LLC $6,600
ALIX PARTNERS $6,600
PALANTIR $6,600
KRUX INC. $6,600

Organizations whose employees gave the most — itemized individual contributions grouped by the donor’s reported employer (FEC Schedule A). Full finance for Richard Blumenthal → · Outside spending →

Actions (2)

Jun 9, 2026 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. · senate
Jun 9, 2026 Introduced in Senate

Similar bills (6)

Bills with similar text or summary — includes reintroductions across Congresses. Ranked by semantic similarity of the bill text (computed locally); a neutral discovery aid, not a claim the bills are duplicates.

Full text

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

June 9, 2026

Mr. Blumenthal (for himself, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Markey, Ms. Duckworth, and Mr. Wyden) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

A BILL

To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to deem certain substances to be unsafe for use as food contact substances, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the “No Toxic Chemicals in Food Packaging Act of 2026”.

SEC. 2. SUBSTANCES DEEMED UNSAFE FOR USE AS FOOD CONTACT SUBSTANCES.

(a) In General.—Section 409 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 348) is amended by adding at the end the following:

“(l) Substances Deemed Unsafe for Use as Food Contact Substances.—

“(1) In general.—For purposes of this section and section 402(a)(2)(C), the following are deemed to be unsafe for use as food contact substances:

“(A) Any chemical belonging to the class of ortho- phthalates.

“(B) Any chemical belonging to the class of PFAS.

“(C) Bisphenol A, B, S, F, or AF or related compounds.

“(D) Acrolein.

“(E) Acrylamide.

“(F) BHA (ter-Butyl-4-hydroxyanisole).

“(G) Chlorinated paraffins.

“(H) 1,4-Dioxane.

“(I) Asbestos.

“(J) Benzene.

“(K) Chloroform.

“(L) Methylene chloride.

“(M) Ethylene Oxide.

“(N) Formaldehyde.

“(O) Styrene Polymers.

“(2) Alternative substances.—In acting in response to any petition under this section to establish safety with respect to a food contact substance that the Secretary determines to be an alternative to a substance listed in paragraph (1), in addition to the criteria under subsection (c), the Secretary shall consider potential adverse effects of exposure to the substance on vulnerable populations.

“(3) Definitions.—In this subsection:

“(A) The term ‘ortho-phthalates’ means a class of chemicals that are non-polymeric esters of ortho- phthalic acid.

“(B) The term ‘PFAS’ means a perfluoroalkyl substance or a polyfluoroalkyl substance that contains at least one fully fluorinated methyl or methylene carbon atom.

“(C) The term ‘vulnerable population’ means a human population that is subject to the potential for disproportionate exposure to, or the potential for disproportionate adverse effect from exposure to, a chemical substance or mixture, including—

“(i) infants, children, and adolescents;

“(ii) pregnant women;

“(iii) the elderly;

“(iv) individuals with preexisting medical conditions;

“(v) workers who may be exposed to chemical substances and mixtures;

“(vi) residents in communities subject to disproportionate exposures; and

“(vii) members of any other appropriate population identified by the Secretary.

“(4) Relationship to state and local law.—This subsection shall be construed as establishing a minimum standard for the protection of public health. Nothing in this section, or in any regulation promulgated under this section, shall be construed to—

“(A) preempt, displace, supplant, prohibit, or restrict any provision of State or local law (including any statute, regulation, ordinance, or common law) relating to food additives or food contact materials that is equivalent to or more stringent than the requirements of this subsection, or to prevent the adoption or enforcement of such a law; or

“(B) affect or preempt any right of action or remedy under State or local law (including any statute, regulation, ordinance, or common law), including any tort or consumer protection law, except to the extent that such law is inconsistent with this subsection.”.

(b) Delayed Applicability.—Section 409(l) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, as added by subsection (a), applies beginning on the date that is 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act. <all>

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