As Americans continue to learn more about the harmful impacts of PFAS, or "forever chemicals," the EPA is working to determine exactly how they affect us. In New York, work to ban PFAS in food service products is coming to fruition.

“This has PFAS. This does not,” said Bill Miller, vice president of purchasing, marketing and merchandising at Hill & Markes, a wholesale distributor of food service disposables and other products.

Soon, the latter option will be the only option in New York as a ban of polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, in food service products takes effect.

“They look very similar," Miller said. "Most people will not be able to tell the difference between a PFAS-coated and a not PFAS-coated item.”

PFAS are man-made chemicals often used to make products stain resistant, or as a water and oil repellant. But they are linked to threats to the environment and harmful health effects in humans.

“There has been talk about this for the past several years,” Miller said. “The transition right now is going fairly well for us.”

He said a lot of the products they deal with are already PFAS-free, but the company has been proactive in educating their customers about alternatives.

“This is a mineral-filled polypropylene container. It has a lot of form and function. It is leak resistant. It is also very price competitive and can be recycled," he said.

End users of products like these across the food industry should expect a heftier bill and request-compliance letters from their respected distributors.

“That is how an end user or customer would know whether or not their product is PFAS-free,” Miller said.

The state Legislature has approved legislation that would ban the use of PFAS in clothing products. It awaits the governor’s signature.

“This is really more of the path that the state has been taking to be a little bit more environmentally conscious,” Miller said.