I'm Hannah , a 37-year-old mum of two young boys living in Noosa, Queensland.

 Like many parents, my top priority is ensuring the safety and wellbeing of my children. In our busy lives, my family often resorts to purchasing hot meals from local supermarkets. However, I've grown increasingly worried about the safety of these meals due to the common practice of wrapping hot food in plastic packaging.

It's well-documented that certain plastics release harmful chemicals when heated. Substances such as BPA and phthalates can leach into food, posing health risks, particularly to young children whose bodies are still developing. This is not just a concern for us, but for many families who rely on quick meals from supermarkets like Woolies & Coles—stores many of us trust and depend on for convenience.

I urge supermarket chains and food providers to transition to safer alternatives that will have a long term impact on the health of our nation. By switching to heat-resistant materials, such as PFAS-free parchment paper and cellulose-lined bags, we can protect our families and reduce the impacts of harmful chemicals and microplastics. It's a small change that can make a big difference in the health of our communities.

I have since compiled and sent a letter to the CEO's of Woolies & Coles, Ms Leah Weckert and Ms Amanda Bardwell, to urge them to take the next steps in making this urgent, drastic change for the greater health impacts of us all.

Below are some studies and links into why we need to steer away from heating and serving food in plastic:

Heat accelerates chemical leaching. When plastic is in direct contact with hot, fatty, or acidic food, substances such as plasticizers, adhesives, and ink residues can migrate into that food. (opb.org​, mdpi.com)

Those chemicals don’t just pass through us. Thousands of food-contact chemicals — including endocrine disruptors and potential carcinogens — have been detected in human blood, breast milk, hair, and body fat. (businessinsider.com​, lemonde.fr)

Micro- and nanoplastics are now everywhere. They’ve been found in human breast milk, ovarian fluid, and animal studies show inflammation, hormonal changes, and organ stress. Cooking or storing food in hot plastic releases even more of them. (sciencedirect.com)

Microplastics in ovarian fluid: For the first time, scientists found microplastics in the follicular fluid of 14 out of 18 women—raising concerns about fertility and hormonal balance.EcoWatch+14The Guardian+14New York Post+14

Microplastics in breast milk: A study detected microplastics in about 39% of human breast milk samples, pointing to infant exposure.Wikipedia+7MDPI+7Wikipedia+7

Microplastics in semen, placenta, and beyond: These particles have been found across the body—in semen, blood, placenta, testicles, and brain—linked to inflammation, hormone disruption, and reproductive harm.arXiv+15The Guardian+15Popular Science+15

Broader reproductive and developmental risks: Reviews show microplastics and their chemical additives (e.g., BPA, phthalates, PFAS) can damage ovarian function, disrupt hormones, impair fertility, and impair offspring development.SpringerLinkThe AustralianU.S. Right to Know

Let's band together to make a real change to the way we purchase and consume food.

 Please join me in calling on supermarkets to stop wrapping hot food in plastic.

Sign this petition for a healthier future.