Petition Urges Immediate Halt to Production of Plastic Containers Leaching Dangerous PFAS Chemicals

A citizen petition by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER), the Center for Environmental Health (CEH), and other environmental and health advocates has been filed to stop the manufacture and distribution of plastic containers with dangerous levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) that leach into household products and the environment. The petitioners demand that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) take action to implement its previous determination that the treatment of these containers with fluorine constitutes an unreasonable risk to human health and the environment. The petitioners ask the EPA to invoke its powers under Section 6 of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) and immediately prohibit the production of three toxic long-chain PFAS—PFOA, PFNA, and PFDA—during the fluorination process. The petition argues that the EPA has all the evidence it needs to justify this action and should not allow Inhance to continue to expose Americans to dangerous PFAS one day longer than necessary.