Reduce your carbon footprint with U.S. EPA and CARB compliant material solution for HDPE fuel tanks

Small engine device manufacturers of outdoor power equipment could be at risk of violating the Toxic Substances Control Act as the U.S. EPA is turning its attention to manufacturing processes that use fluorination.

While fluorination has long been used as an industry standard to build a barrier technology against evaporative emissions for high density polyethylene (HDPE) fuel tanks, there are better permeation solutions available in the marketplace that are more sustainable.

In a letter issued by the EPA in 2022, the agency notified manufacturers, processors, distributers, users and disposers of fluorinated HDPE containers that the presence of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) formed as a byproduct in containers may be a violation of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).

Companies are mandated to comply with existing requirements under the TSCA to ensure that unintentional PFAS contamination does not occur. This includes manufacturers of products that use small gas tanks, such as chain saws, trimmers, generators, pressure washers, snow blowers, water pumps, riding tractors, lawn mowers and recreational sporting equipment, including snowmobiles, golf carts, personal watercraft, motorcycles, ATVs, utility vehicles, etc.

Manufacturers of small engine tanks often produce traditional HDPE blow molded fuel tanks. To make these fuel tanks a dipping process is used to build a permeation barrier using multilayer coatings. This process is costly, and over time, the barrier can erode and leak emissions. This makes standard HDPE tanks a risky choice for staying within TSCA compliance over the lifetime the tank.

You can avoid fluorination risks with a proven sustainable material solution

At Envalior, we have an advanced material solution for your outdoor power equipment tank needs—Akulon® Fuel Lock, which is EPA and CARB compliant. With this engineered material solution, available in eight different grades, small engine manufacturers can achieve low permeation and satisfy evaporative emission regulations for fuel tanks.

In 2011, we launched Akulon Fuel Lock in response to the need for innovative materials that surpassed the EPA evaporative emissions regulations. This enhanced nylon (PA6) monolayer technology creates an emissions barrier that is six times higher than regulations require, minimizing any risk of non-compliance. Plus, it allows fuel tanks to be designed with thinner walls, thus, lower system costs and weight.

Small engine manufacturers that have been using Fuel Lock have reduced their carbon footprint, avoided hydrofluoric acid hazards, lowered their inventory costs by eliminating costly shipping steps and bolstered their credibility for environmental stewardship, while eliminating regulatory non-compliance risk associated with fluorinated HDPE tanks.

No need for you to be concerned about EPA fines and risky equipment recalls

When you use Akulon Fuel Lock, you can reduce your exposure to fluorine. The material provides an excellent barrier to evaporative emissions and is guaranteed to last for the lifetime of the product. Plus, there is no need to change tooling—you simply drop in the Fuel Lock material into your existing manufacturing process.

The process of making fuel tanks with Akulon Fuel Lock can be certified once, which ensures you the quality and low permeation rates across all tanks produced since the barrier performance is inherent to the material, rather than a thin surface treatment. Plus, with a permeation rate that is less than 20% of the EPA limit, Akulon Fuel Lock helps put your mind at ease by eliminating the concerns of non-compliance, EPA fines and the risk of costly equipment recalls.