PFAS In Dishwasher Rinse Aids Used By Restaurants

New studies show commercial dishwasher rinse aids may contain PFAS that wash off dishes and enter restaurant wastewater systems, raising new environmental concerns

Thursday, December 11, 2025 - Restaurants depend on high powered dishwashers to clean thousands of plates, glasses, and utensils each week, but new findings suggest that some of the rinse aids used in these machines may contain PFAS compounds. These chemicals help dry dishes faster, prevent spotting, and keep surfaces looking clean, yet they do not break down when washed into drain lines. As wastewater leaves busy restaurant kitchens, small volumes of PFAS can accumulate over time and eventually reach sewer systems, local waterways, or even groundwater. This discovery has prompted questions from families already following PFAS cancer lawsuit developments and from people who might contact a PFAS cancer from drinking water attorney if contamination is found near restaurant clusters. Many restaurant owners assume that rinse aids are simple detergents, but some products use fluorinated ingredients to reduce surface tension and improve drying performance. Once these ingredients enter wastewater, they can persist for years. In communities where restaurants are concentrated in downtown districts or shopping areas, the daily flow of dishwater may create a repeated source of PFAS release that most people never considered.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, PFAS compounds are highly resistant to heat and detergents, which means they can easily survive commercial dishwasher cycles and standard wastewater treatment processes. Laboratory tests on rinse aid formulations collected from various food service operations have detected measurable PFAS concentrations in both the products themselves and the resulting dishwater. This wastewater typically flows into municipal sewer systems that were never designed to remove synthetic fluorinated chemicals. As utilities tighten monitoring requirements to comply with updated drinking water guidelines, they are discovering upstream PFAS contributions from unexpected sources, including restaurants, hotels, and institutional cafeterias. The EPA notes that PFAS can accumulate in sewage sludge, which is often applied as agricultural fertilizer, creating yet another pathway for contamination. When restaurant dishwashers run continuously throughout the day, they generate a steady stream of warm, detergent rich water that can help mobilize any PFAS present in rinse aids. That contaminated water then travels through indoor plumbing and eventually mixes with the broader community wastewater stream. Environmental researchers are concerned that even small concentrations may contribute significantly to long term pollution in areas with many food service businesses operating side by side.

As awareness increases, food service operators and regulators may need to rethink how cleaning supplies are chosen and managed in commercial kitchens. Some suppliers are already developing PFAS free rinse aid formulations made with plant based surfactants or biodegradable polymers that do not persist in the environment. Restaurants may also start requesting full ingredient disclosures before purchasing products so they can avoid fluorinated chemicals altogether. Cities could consider installing small scale filtration units in high density restaurant zones or encouraging businesses to switch to safer products through purchasing incentives. Health officials and environmental agencies are expected to expand testing of wastewater from restaurants as part of broader PFAS monitoring programs. Communities that discover contamination will likely push for stronger public reporting and clearer product labeling.

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