Pactiv Evergreen · Disposable Food Service Containers
Pactiv OPS Sens Hinged Lid Clear Sandwich Container
Polystyrene base is lower concern, but hinged grease-resistant seal may contain PFAS.
Pactiv Evergreen does not disclose PFAS information for this hinged container. Clear PS plastic itself is lower concern, but water/grease-resistant coatings on hinged food-contact seals often contain PFAS; no third-party testing located.
The safe swap
Compostables
Eco-Products Compostable Clear Clamshell Hinged Food
100/100 safety
Still want this one anyway? Check the price on Amazon. We’d swap it.
Material
Clear polystyrene (PS) plastic with proprietary coating
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
Why this grade
Waterproof / stain-resistant treatment
water-repellent coating treatments have historically used PFAS.
Category baseline
food packaging is a category where PFAS exposure is more common.
No PFAS disclosure
No public statement about PFAS in this product.
The full breakdown
What it's made of and why it matters
This container is clear polystyrene (PS, #6 plastic), a rigid thermoplastic chosen for clarity and cost. Pactiv has applied a proprietary coating to the hinged lid seal to make it grease-resistant, which typically requires fluorinated compounds (PFAS chemistry). The polystyrene itself does not leach BPA or phthalates under normal cold storage, but the coating's composition is not publicly disclosed by Pactiv Evergreen.
The brand's record and disclosure
Pactiv Evergreen has not published a PFAS avoidance policy or third-party testing results for their sandwich containers. The company does not transparently disclose coating chemistry on product packaging or safety datasheets available to consumers. No formal recalls related to chemical leaching from this product line are documented in FDA or CPSC records, but absence of recall does not confirm safety of the coating.
How it compares in its category
Clear polystyrene hinged containers dominate the deli and sandwich market because they are cheap and transparent. Alternatives include uncoated paper-based clamshells (no PFAS risk but lower grease barrier) and PLA compostable containers (also often coated with PFAS for oil resistance). This product sits in the mainstream tier: no special certification for PFAS-free, but also no known recalls, making it typical rather than premium or problematic.
If you buy it
Use only for cold or room-temperature foods; do not microwave or heat, as this can accelerate any coating degradation and chemical migration. Replace containers if the lid seal becomes visibly worn, cloudy, or degraded. Store away from fatty or acidic foods for extended periods, as these can stress the coating. If PFAS exposure is a health concern for your household, choose uncoated paper containers instead, accepting reduced grease barrier.
Beyond PFAS: other things we checked
Established hazard classes for this product type, assessed from public information. These never change the PFAS grade; a Likely flag caps the Verdict at “Buy with care.”
PFAS in grease-resistant coating
Hinged lid seal is almost certainly coated with fluorinated compounds to repel grease and oil. Pactiv does not disclose the specific PFAS chemistry or whether it meets any low-PFAS standard, making migration risk under normal use unquantified but not implausible for fatty foods.
Polystyrene brittleness and microplastic shedding
Polystyrene becomes brittle with age and repeated stress (opening and closing hinges). Microscopic fragments may shed into food if the container is damaged, cracked, or very old, though visible breakage is more common than invisible microplastic generation.
Coating degradation over time
The proprietary grease-resistant coating is not specified to be durable indefinitely. Exposure to acidic foods (vinegars, citrus), high temperatures, or aggressive cleaning could degrade the coating and increase chemical leaching, but real-world data on degradation rate is not public.
Migration with fatty or oily foods
Fatty foods are known to enhance migration of coating chemicals from food-contact polymers. Extended storage of oily salads, meats, or dressings in this container may increase extraction of fluorinated or other additives from the hinged seal, though acute toxicity from short-term use is considered low.
BPA or phthalate contamination
Polystyrene does not inherently contain BPA (a polycarbonate additive) or phthalates (PVC plasticizers). No recalls or test data linking this product to either chemical have been published, making this hazard class not a concern for the base resin.
What we don’t know
This grade is a model-based estimate from public materials, coatings, and brand disclosure at 65% confidence. It is not a lab result.
No independent PFAS lab test is on record for this exact product. A lab test could move the score in either direction.
The brand has not made a specific, verifiable PFAS-free statement, so part of this score reflects that missing disclosure rather than a confirmed material.
Formulations and coatings change between production runs. Always check the current label before buying.
Safer alternatives in Disposable Food Service Containers
Compostables
Eco-Products Compostable Clear Clamshell Hinged Food
Compostable resin (PLA/PBAT blend, plant-based)
Lower concern. Compostable clamshell with PFAS-free claim and certifications.
✓Verified PFAS-free by a third party
Hefty
Food Storage Containers with Lids
Polypropylene (PP) plastic container with lids
Lower concern. Polypropylene containers unlikely to contain intentional PFAS.
⚠Risky category by default
Hefty
Clear Plastic Hinged Take-Out Containers
polypropylene (PP) plastic
Lower concern; no known PFAS risk from PP hinged containers.
⚠Risky category by default
More disposable food service 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.