Maryland PFAS Food Packaging Law (SB 273): Plant-Fiber Packaging and Gloves

Maryland SB 273: An Overview

Maryland enacted Senate Bill 273 on April 21, 2022, banning PFAS in plant-fiber food packaging and explicitly extending that ban to food service gloves. The law took effect on January 1, 2024, placing Maryland among a small group of states that actively regulate PFAS in gloves alongside packaging.

Enforcement falls under the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE). Liability is placed on manufacturers and distributors, not on restaurants or food service end users. Maryland's penalty structure is relatively modest compared to other states — $500 per first violation and $1,000 per subsequent violation — but the law is enforceable and signals the state's commitment to phasing out PFAS from food-contact materials.

For a wider comparison across all states, see our complete guide to PFAS food packaging bans.

Regulation Details

What Is Covered

Maryland's SB 273 covers two distinct product categories:

Plant-Fiber Food Packaging

Like California, Colorado, and several other states, Maryland's law targets food packaging made from plant-derived materials, including:

• Molded fiber clamshells, bowls, and plates
• Bagasse (sugarcane fiber) containers
• Paper cups, wraps, and bags
• Pizza boxes
• Fiber trays and food boats

Food Service Gloves

Maryland's inclusion of food service gloves is a meaningful distinction. PFAS compounds have historically been used in glove manufacturing to improve grip, chemical resistance, and barrier properties. The law applies to gloves used by food handlers — whether in restaurant kitchens, food processing facilities, catering operations, or food retail environments.

What Is Not Covered

Maryland's SB 273, like most plant-fiber-specific laws, does not apply to non-plant-fiber packaging materials such as plastic containers, polystyrene foam, aluminum foil, and metal cans. Businesses whose packaging mix is primarily non-fiber materials are not directly regulated under this law for those products. However, gloves remain covered regardless of material composition.

Penalties for Non-Compliance

Maryland's SB 273 establishes a tiered penalty structure enforced by the MDE:

• First violation: up to $500
• Subsequent violations: up to $1,000 per violation

While Maryland's penalties are lower than most other states (which often range from $5,000 to $15,000 per violation), they represent a formal enforcement mechanism. Each non-compliant packaging unit or glove lot sold or distributed could constitute a separate violation. Manufacturers and distributors should not treat the lower penalty as a reason to defer compliance.

Sell-Through Period

Maryland's law includes a sell-through exemption for packaging manufactured before the effective date. This means that packaging produced prior to January 1, 2024 that was already in inventory could continue to be sold through. However, as of early 2026, this transition window has closed for most normal inventory cycles, and new purchases should be sourced from compliant products.

Common Steps Businesses Take

1. Audit plant-fiber packaging inventory. Identify all molded fiber, paper, and bagasse packaging items your business purchases or distributes and flag them for supplier review.
2. Audit food service gloves. Request compliance documentation from your glove supplier confirming no intentionally added PFAS. This step is often overlooked by businesses focused only on packaging.
3. Request Certificates of Compliance from suppliers. Ask for written documentation that PFAS were not intentionally added to the manufacturing process, and for test results where available.
4. Maintain documentation records. Keep supplier correspondence, compliance certificates, and test data in an organized format to support due diligence claims.
5. Stay informed on regulatory changes. Maryland may expand the scope of its PFAS packaging restrictions over time as technology and market alternatives develop.