Fluorinated products which do not contain Perflurooctanoic Acid (PFOA)

Perflurooctanoic Acid (PFOA) is used as a polymerization aid to make fluorinated resins and is contained in fluorinated water/oil repellent agents in trace amounts. PFOA has been detected at very low levels in wildlife, human blood and the environment and there have been concerns expressed about the persistence there. Therefore, in 2006, the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) initiated a program to reduce PFOA contents in products by 95% by 2010 and to zero by 2015. Since then, the Agency has been asking manufacturers of fluorinated chemicals around the world to participate in the program.
Consequently, the AGC Group embarked on the development of a new product line that would meet USEPA's environmental goal, but would be as good as, or better than, the existing products.

AsahiGuard E-SERIES

Having conducted various performance tests for four years, the AGC Group finally completed the development of and in 2006 released to the market a new generation of fluorinated water/oil repellents — the AsahiGuard E-SERIES — which does not contain PFOA*1. These products comply with Japan's Law Concerning the Evaluation of Chemical Substances and Regulation of Their Manufacture etc. and also with similar laws enforced in North America and in Europe. It also acquired the certification of bluesign standard which is an industry standard used in the textile and clothing field.

Oil does not permeate into paper processed with Asahi Guard E-Series AG-E060	Cloth processed with AsahiGuard E-Series AG-E061

Fluon PTFE E-SERIES

Polytetrafluoroethylene(PTFE) which account 60-70% of fluorine contained resin market has excellent properties such as high-thermal stability, chemical resistance, electrical insulation, low frictional properties, non-stick properties, weather resistance, and flame resistance. The AGC Group embarked on the development of a surfactant that did not contain PFOA*1, capitalizing on its proprietary fluorination technology. As a result, in September 2008, we released the Fluon PTFE E-SERIES as a PFOA-free*1, environmentally friendly fluorinated resin. Within 2010, we will make all our PTFE products PFOA free*1.

*1. At or above the detection limit