A federal appeals court has overturned an Environmental Protection Agency ban on plastic containers containing toxic PFAS compounds, questioning the regulation's applicability.
Tom Perkins reports for The Guardian.
In short:
- A conservative appeals court reversed an EPA ruling banning Inhance's manufacturing process, which produces containers with toxic PFAS compounds.
- The court ruled the EPA's statute was inapplicable, despite acknowledging the health risks of PFAS, known for their link to serious health issues and environmental persistence.
- Inhance argues its process is longstanding and exempt from the regulation, while facing legal challenges and scrutiny over the safety of its containers.
Key quote:
"The court did not dispute EPA’s underlying decision that this is a danger to human health, what they did was say it’s not a new use, which I think is wrong … but this case isn’t over by any stretch."
— Kyla Bennett, director of Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility
Why this matters:
Manufacturers might use PFAS to give plastic containers properties like grease resistance or to prevent staining. However, given the growing awareness of the potential health risks, there is increasing pressure to find safer alternatives and to label products more transparently. Unfortunately, harmful PFAS chemicals are even sneaking into some "green" and "compostable" products.
