On this page, you will find information and regulatory updates regarding PFAS. Please check this page frequently for the most recent developments and details.
Inhance Technologies, a Responsible Care™ company, has served customers with its fluorination technology for 40 years, and is committed to continuing safe operations that are protective of its workers, local communities, the public and the environment. Fluorinated barrier packaging is critical in protecting the environment by preventing permeation of container contents through evaporative emissions. Inhance Technologies’ barrier technology annually prevents more than 25,000 metric tons of chemicals from being released into the environment that would otherwise occur due to packaging permeation.
Inhance Technologies does not utilize – and has never utilized – PFAS in any of our processes. Inhance Technologies’ fluorination technology is compliant with FDA regulation 21CFR 177.1615 and applicable REACH regulations. Any PFAS, if present, are unintended impurities that serve no commercial purpose.
Quantitative risk assessments carried out by highly credible third-party experts show that fluorination of packaging and fuel systems do not present an unreasonable risk to the environment or human health. Sectors that heavily rely on Inhance Technologies’ fluorination technology include crop protection, fuel systems, and healthcare (e.g., rigid cold chain packaging that ensures the safe transportation of vaccines and vital biologic medicines).
Over the past two years, Inhance Technologies has conducted significant research and development and voluntarily implemented measures to further reduce the potential for PFAS formation, achieving non-detect levels in almost all of the plastic packaging articles treated. Through its continuing investments, the company expects to reach 100% non-detect for all PFAS in question.
Fluorinated barrier packaging represents less than 0.2% of the 15 billion pounds of polyethylene packaging produced annually in the United States, and is vital to environmental and human health protection, product efficacy, and sustainability.
Press Releases
Court Documents
Timeline of court events:
- December 1, 2023: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ordered Inhance Technologies to shut down its barrier technology facilities on February 28, 2024 across the U.S.
- December 8, 2023: Inhance Technologies sought a stay, or halt, of the orders and an expedited review by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals to stop the one-sided EPA orders
- December 12, 2023: The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals granted Inhance Technologies' motion to stay the orders issued by EPA on December 1, 2023, and the motion for expedited review
- December 22, 2023: Inhance Technologies' petition (our story) is due to the Fifth Circuit
- January 22, 2024: EPA's reply to the petition is due to the Fifth Circuit
- January 29, 2024: Inhance Technologies' response to EPA's reply is due to the Fifth Circuit
- February 5, 2024: Arguments will be heard by the Court
The Fifth Circuit issued its briefing schedule for the case. Inhance Technologies’ brief is due December 22, 2023; EPA’s brief is due January 24, 2024; and Inhance Technologies’ reply brief will be due seven days after the government files its brief. Oral argument in the case is tentatively set for the week February 5, 2024.
The Fifth Circuit granted Inhance Technologies’ motion for expedited briefing and argument and a stay of the EPA orders calling for a halt on production.
Inhance Technologies submitted this motion requesting the Fifth Circuit expedite consideration of the company’s petition for review and asked the Fifth Circuit to stay EPA’s unilateral orders pending the court’s review.
In this petition, Inhance Technologies challenged two unilateral orders issued on December 1, 2023, by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). The December 1 orders had prohibited the operation of the company’s fluorination process after February 28, 2024.
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Specifying Enkase
Choosing Enkase for your barrier packaging will significantly reduce your products' environmental impact compared to multilayer or PET packaging.
Adopting any new technology can be complex, but we work hard to make Enkase easy to specify, and easy to deliver. We will work with you to identify exactly how Enkase can meet your barrier packaging requirements.
The downloadable materials here will help you understand the options, and our team is on hand to help answer your questions, organize samples and develop a plan for bringing the benefits of Enkase to your products.
Specify
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Resources
Enkase™ Barrier Packaging Technology information
DuraBloc™ Fuel Systems Barrier Technology information
ToxStrategies Fluorinated Packaging Risk Assessment Summary: Summary of risk assessments and exposure modeling of LCPFAC impurities in fluorinated packaging, November 30, 2022.
ToxStrategies Fuel Systems Risk Assessment Summary: Summary of risk assessments and exposure modeling of LCPFAC impurities in fluorinated fuel tanks and fuel storage containers, November 14, 2022.