United States 119th Congress Status: In Committee 6 D cosponsors

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

Last action — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Senate
  4. 4
    Passed House
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill is in committee in the Senate. Introduced June 09, 2026. It must pass committee before a floor vote.

Next likely step: a committee vote, then a floor vote in the Senate.

Prognosis

Stalled 26% · moderate confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

Low

How often bills like it became law.

  • In Committee

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 6 sponsors

    1 primary, 5 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (6 D).

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

In plain language

This bill aims to ban toxic chemicals in food packaging.

The bill proposes prohibiting certain harmful chemicals from being used in food packaging. This measure seeks to protect consumers from potential health risks associated with these substances.

What this means for you
  • Consumers: This means you may have safer options when purchasing food, reducing your exposure to harmful chemicals.

Bill Text

How this bill changes current law

4 changes Share ↗

Compared against current U.S. Code AI-generated reading aid — verify against the official bill.

The bill amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to classify certain substances as unsafe for use as food contact substances.

  • 21 U.S.C. 348

    (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.

    This addition explicitly identifies a list of chemicals that are deemed unsafe for use as food contact substances.

  • 21 U.S.C. 348

    (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.

    This clause requires consideration of the effects of alternative substances on vulnerable populations during safety assessments.

  • 21 U.S.C. 348

    (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.

    This inserts definitions for key terms used in the new provisions, clarifying the scope of the provisions.

  • 21 U.S.C. 348

    (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.

    This addition clarifies that the new subsection establishes a minimum standard and does not preempt stricter state or local laws regarding food contact materials.

Action History

  1. Introduced in Senate

  2. Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 5 co-sponsors · 541 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (5)

Not signed on (541)

541 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 541 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

environment agriculture
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors S 4724?
S 4724 is sponsored by Merkley, Jeff (Democratic), Markey, Edward J. (Democratic), Duckworth, Tammy (Democratic), Wyden, Ron (Democratic), Booker, Cory A. (Democratic), and Blumenthal, Richard (Democratic).
What is the current status of S 4724?
This bill is in committee in the Senate. Introduced June 09, 2026. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Where can I track S 4724?
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