Paper on its own lets grease, water and steam straight through. Every takeaway box, fries bag, burger wrap or soup container that holds food for more than a few minutes depends on a barrier, and the barrier you pick decides far more than performance: it sets whether the item counts as a single-use plastic product in the EU, how well it repulps at a paper mill, what you can claim on the print, and which food-contact documents you need. This guide compares the main barrier coating options for paper packaging and shows how to specify one in a quotation request.
Cup linings have their own trade-offs (hot liquids, side seams, lid fit) and are covered separately in paper cup linings: PE vs aqueous dispersion vs PLA. The principles below apply to cups too, but the cup detail lives there.
What does a barrier coating actually do?
A barrier coating closes the paper's porous fibre network so that grease, water or water vapour cannot wick through, and in many cases adds a heat-sealable layer so the paper can be sealed to itself or to a lid. Barriers differ in what they hold back, for how long, at what temperature, and in how they behave when the used packaging is pulped for recycling.
Three properties drive most choices:
- Grease resistance: measured on paper typically by the KIT test, where higher ratings mean better resistance to oils and fats. See KIT test and grease resistance ratings.
- Water resistance: often expressed by the Cobb value (grams of water absorbed per square metre over a set time); lower is better.
- Heat sealability: needed for cups, pots, sealed bags and some trays; not needed for wraps or most folded boxes, which are glued or locked.
The main barrier options
PE extrusion coating
Low-density polyethylene is melted and extruded as a thin continuous film onto paper or board. It is the long-established standard for cups, food containers, wet-food trays and laminated wraps, with excellent water and good grease resistance and reliable heat sealing. It is also unambiguously plastic: the PE layer must be separated from the fibre at the mill, and the finished item falls under single-use plastic rules in the EU and UK where its product category is covered. The same coatings are used on open paper trays and compared in paper food tray coatings.
Aqueous dispersion barriers
Water-based polymer dispersions (often acrylic, styrene-acrylic or similar synthetic polymers, increasingly with bio-based content) are applied on a coating line as a thin layer and dried. Depending on formulation they give good grease and water resistance, and some grades are heat-sealable. Their main advantage is lower polymer weight and better repulpability in standard paper mills, which is why they are often marketed as "plastic-reduced". Performance varies between formulations far more than with PE, so test results on the actual paper matter.
PLA coating
Polylactic acid is a bio-based polymer, usually extrusion-coated like PE. It seals well and provides good water and grease resistance, and PLA-coated paper can be certified industrially compostable when the whole construction is tested. Standard PLA softens at lower temperatures than PE, so hot-fill suitability must be checked for the specific grade. PLA is still a plastic in regulatory terms, and it is a contaminant in conventional plastic recycling streams.
Wax coating
Paraffin or blended waxes are either driven into the sheet with heated rolls (dry waxing) or left as a continuous surface layer (wet waxing). Waxed papers give good moisture resistance and moderate grease resistance at low cost and are common in the US for deli paper and sandwich wraps. Wax melts at relatively low temperatures, which rules it out for hot fatty foods held for long, ovens or microwaves, and heavily waxed paper repulps poorly.
Silicone coating
Silicone coating creates a release surface rather than a classic barrier. It is used on baking paper and some oven liners, where food must not stick at oven temperatures, and on some release papers. Silicone-coated paper is heat resistant well beyond what PE, PLA or wax tolerate, but it does not heat seal and is not a typical takeaway barrier.
Greaseproof paper (no coating)
True greaseproof paper gets its grease resistance from the pulp, not a coating: fibres are refined (mechanically beaten) intensely until the sheet becomes dense and closed. It resists grease without fluorochemicals when properly made, contains no added polymer layer and generally behaves as paper in recycling, though food residue still matters. It is not waterproof and does not heat seal. In German it is known as "fettdichtes Papier" or "Pergamentersatz"; in Dutch as "vetvrij papier". See greaseproof vs parchment vs wax paper vs deli paper.
Metallised paper and foil laminates
Metallised paper carries an extremely thin vacuum-deposited aluminium layer, mostly for appearance and some moisture/aroma effect. Foil laminates bond aluminium foil to paper, usually with an adhesive or polymer layer, and give a strong barrier and heat retention, as in insulated burger wraps. Foil laminates complicate recycling because the foil and bonding layer must be separated from the fibre; metallised papers are generally easier for mills to handle, but this varies.
How do barrier coatings for paper packaging compare?
PE remains the strongest all-round barrier; dispersion barriers trade some performance for better repulpability; PLA suits compostable claims but not every hot application; wax is cheap but heat-limited; greaseproof paper is the cleanest option where only grease resistance is needed. The table summarises typical behaviour; actual results depend on paper grade, coat weight and formulation and are confirmed by testing.
| Barrier | Grease resistance | Water resistance | Heat seal | Heat resistance | Recyclability in standard paper streams | Treated as plastic under EU SUP guidelines? | Can be PFAS-free? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PE extrusion coating | Good | Excellent | Yes | Good for hot food and drinks; not for ovens | Repulpable in mills equipped to separate PE; film becomes reject | Yes | Yes |
| Aqueous dispersion (synthetic polymer) | Good to very good (grade-dependent) | Good (grade-dependent) | Some grades | Grade-dependent; check hot-fill | Typically designed for repulping in standard mills; confirm with test report | Generally yes where the polymer is synthetic or chemically modified; confirm | Yes |
| Bio-based dispersion | Varies widely | Varies widely | Some grades | Grade-dependent | Typically designed for repulping; confirm with test report | Depends on whether the polymer is natural and not chemically modified; confirm | Yes |
| PLA coating | Good | Good | Yes | Lower than PE for standard grades; hot grades exist | Can repulp, layer becomes reject; contaminant in plastic recycling | Yes (bio-based plastic is still plastic) | Yes |
| Wax (dry or wet) | Moderate | Good | Wet wax can seal | Low; melts with hot fats | Poor where heavily waxed | Uncertain; depends on wax type, so confirm with the authority | Yes |
| Silicone (baking paper) | Good (release) | Moderate | No | Very high (oven use) | Limited; often not accepted | Not a typical SUP product category; confirm if relevant | Yes |
| Greaseproof by refining (uncoated) | Good to excellent (KIT-dependent) | Low | No | Good for hot food; not waterproof | Generally recyclable as paper if not heavily soiled | No (no polymer layer) | Yes, if no fluorochemical treatment |
| Metallised paper | Moderate | Moderate | No (unless further coated) | Moderate | Varies; often accepted | Depends on any polymer layer | Yes |
| Foil laminate | Excellent | Excellent | With seal layer | Good heat retention | Difficult; foil and adhesive must be separated | Laminating polymers can bring it into scope | Yes |
The "PFAS-free" column reflects the coating type: fluorochemical grease treatments were historically used on papers and moulded fibre, and any of the above can be made with or without them in theory. From 12 August 2026, the PPWR restricts PFAS in food-contact packaging placed on the EU market (Article 5(5) of Regulation (EU) 2025/40: 25 ppb for any single PFAS, 250 ppb for the sum of PFAS, and 50 ppm for all PFAS including polymeric PFAS). In the US, FDA announced in February 2024 that PFAS grease-proofing agents are no longer sold for food contact, and many states ban intentionally added PFAS. Ask for a written PFAS statement regardless of barrier type; the detail is in PFAS-free food packaging.
How do barrier coatings affect recyclability?
Recyclability of coated paper is decided mainly in the pulper: the used packaging is mixed with water and agitated, fibres separate from each other, and anything that does not break down (plastic film, foil, heavy wax, stickies from adhesives) is screened out as reject. A barrier that stays in large flakes and is easily screened, or one that disperses without harming paper quality, leaves good recoverable fibre. One that holds fibres together, or produces sticky particles, lowers yield and quality.
What this means for the buyer:
- Coat weight and coverage matter as much as chemistry. A light dispersion layer on one side is very different from heavy two-side PE.
- Mill capability varies. PE-coated board is recovered by mills set up for it, and the UK has dedicated cup collection routes, but a general recovered-paper mill may treat heavily coated material as a contaminant.
- Laboratory repulpability tests exist, for example the method used by the German paper research foundation PTS and the harmonised laboratory test method published by CEPI, the European paper industry association. Ask suppliers which method their recyclability claims rest on.
- Food residue can matter more than the coating. Grease-soaked board can be rejected by recyclers regardless of barrier; see whether pizza boxes can be recycled.
Under the PPWR, design-for-recycling criteria are due by 2028 and from 1 January 2030 packaging on the EU market must achieve recyclability grade A, B or C, with EPR fees modulated by grade. Barrier selection will feed directly into that grade. Detailed criteria have not yet been adopted, so treat any supplier's "PPWR grade A" claim today as an estimate rather than a certified result. The wider timeline is covered in our PPWR guide.
How does the EU Single-Use Plastics Directive treat coated paper?
Under the SUP Directive (EU) 2019/904 and the Commission guidelines 2021/C 216/01 (updated by Commission Notice C/2026/4813 of 8 September 2026, which changed only the caps and lids examples), paper or board with a plastic lining or coating is treated as a single-use plastic product. That is why a PE-coated paper plate is banned in the EU, why PE-lined paper cups need the "Plastic in product" marking under Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/2151, and why coated food containers and cups fall into national SUP measures such as EPR litter-cost contributions and, in the Netherlands, restrictions on single-use cups and containers for on-site consumption since 1 January 2024.
The guidelines set no de minimis threshold and do not mention water-based or dispersion coatings by name; they exclude natural polymers that are not chemically modified, and paints, inks and adhesives, from the definition of plastic. A barrier marketed as "plastic-free" therefore has to show which polymer it uses and that it qualifies; synthetic acrylic or styrene dispersions do not become non-plastic simply by being water-based. Ask the coating supplier for its regulatory position in writing, and check national interpretation for the Member States you sell into.
In England, the single-use plastics ban in force from 1 October 2023 also covers plastic-coated paper plates, trays and bowls, with exemptions for packaging. The UK position is summarised in UK packaging regulations.
Is PE-coated paper "plastic packaging" under the PPWR?
For the Annex V restrictions, largely yes. The PPWR defines plastic as a polymer capable of functioning as a main structural component of packaging and does not define "single-use plastic packaging". In its guidance notice of 5 June 2026 (C(2026) 3702), the Commission treats composite packaging, including paper-based packaging containing 5 % or more plastic by weight, as covered by the Annex V restrictions on single-use plastic packaging (for example for food consumed on HORECA premises from 1 January 2030), while packaging with no more than 5 % plastic is not. The guidance is not legally binding. How coated paper is treated for other plastic-specific obligations, such as recycled-content targets, should be checked with your compliance scheme.
Which barrier for which application?
Start from the food and the use time, then choose the lightest barrier that meets the requirement, then check end-of-life and regulation for your market.
| Application | Typical need | Common barrier routes | Notes and owning guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burger wraps, sandwich wraps | Grease, short hold | Greaseproof (refined), barrier-coated MG paper, wax (US), foil laminate for heat retention | custom printed greaseproof paper |
| Fries bags, pastry and bakery bags | Grease, often no water | Greaseproof, light dispersion barrier, PE-coated for very oily foods | grease-resistant food bags |
| Burger and clamshell boxes | Grease, some steam | Dispersion barrier on board, PE on board for wet items | custom printed burger boxes |
| Saucy and wet takeaway boxes | Water, grease, longer hold | PE or high-performance dispersion on inside | takeaway boxes for hot, wet and saucy food |
| Soup and salad containers | Liquid, heat seal, hot fill | PE (one or two side), dispersion or PLA grades suitable for hot fill | custom printed paper food containers |
| Baking and oven use | Release at oven temperatures | Silicone-coated paper | Not a takeaway barrier |
| Dry food cartons with recycled board | Migration control rather than grease | Functional barrier layer | mineral oil barriers |
Practical rules:
- If you only need grease resistance, test greaseproof or a light barrier paper before reaching for PE.
- If you need heat sealing, your choice narrows to PE, PLA, heat-sealable dispersion grades or wet wax.
- If the item will be hot-filled or microwaved, ask for hot-fill or heat-resistance data for the exact grade.
- If the target is a recyclable claim, ask for a repulpability test report on the coated paper, not just the coating datasheet.
- If the target is a compostable claim, the whole printed construction needs certification (see what recyclable, compostable and biodegradable claims mean).
Food-contact documents for coated paper
Coated paper is a combination of materials, and each layer brings its own paperwork. In the EU the Framework Regulation (EC) 1935/2004 and GMP Regulation (EC) 2023/2006 apply to the finished item. Plastic layers such as PE or PLA coatings fall under Plastics Regulation (EU) 10/2011, which requires a Declaration of Compliance and sets an overall migration limit of 10 mg/dm². For the paper itself there is no harmonised EU measure; buyers typically expect a declaration referencing BfR Recommendation XXXVI. In the US, paper and board in contact with aqueous and fatty foods is addressed by 21 CFR 176.170 and dry food by 21 CFR 176.180. Printed items also need low-migration practice on the ink side. The full picture is in food-contact packaging compliance.
How to specify a barrier in an RFQ
Describe the job the barrier must do rather than naming a coating you have seen elsewhere, then state your constraints. This lets the manufacturer propose suitable options and lets you compare quotations on equal terms. Final barrier specification is confirmed at quotation and technical review, often after sample testing with your actual food.
Include:
- Food type and form: fat content, sauces, moisture, whether pieces are hot, cold or frozen.
- Temperature and time: serving temperature, hold time in the pack, delivery duration, any microwave or oven reheating.
- Which side needs the barrier: inside only, both sides (condensation on cold items), or full laminate.
- Performance targets if you have them: KIT level, Cobb value, leak test for a set time.
- Conversion needs: heat sealing, gluing, folding, window patching, print on the coated side.
- End-of-life target per market: recyclable in standard paper streams, industrially compostable, or no claim.
- Regulatory constraints: PFAS-free statement, SUP status, "Plastic in product" marking for cups, any customer-specific bans (some chains exclude PE or PLA).
- Documents required: food-contact declarations (EU, UK, US as relevant), migration test reports, repulpability or compostability test reports.
These items slot into a full specification; see the packaging RFQ guide for the rest of the sheet and packaging cost drivers for how barrier choice affects price.
Next step: if you are choosing a barrier for a specific item, start from the relevant hub, such as custom printed paper food bags, custom printed takeaway food boxes or the other food hubs linked above, or send your food type, hold time and end-of-life target with your enquiry via contact so barrier options can be proposed at quotation.