There are many reasons to consider the benefits of fluorination for your plastic containers. Members of your team may be reporting problems of paneling or odor emission from your current containers. Or perhaps, you are aware of the many regulations placed on products by agencies like the FDA, DOT, EPA and CARB (California Air Resources Board), but you are not sure what applies to your products. Fluorination can be necessary to enable the product's packaging to comply with various regulatory requirements.

If you are new to the process of fluorination, here is some helpful information about the basics of the fluorination process.

When should I consider fluorination for my containers?

If you are using HDPE, LDPE or PP bottles or containers foryour products that have a long shelf life, you want to make sure they look good for the entire time they are on the shelf. Fluorination is the answer to avoiding problems like paneling, distortion, or permeation of odor through your containers' walls that can cause loss of your products' integrity and ultimately increase your costs. Fluorinated plastic containers can replace glass or metal containers, allowing you to work with a larger variety of packaging options. Fluorinated containers can even provide some more cost-effective alternatives. You won’t need to sacrifice quality as the fluorination process will maintain your product’s integrity.

Common applications for fluorination

There are many product types that should be packaged in containers with the barrier protection from fluorination. Conventional plastics tend to be excellent containers for water-based formulas, but are not suitable for many organic mixtures, including agricultural chemicals, flavors and fragrances, and fuel mixtures. Here are some common product applications where fluorination helps:

• Solvents - acetone, turpentine, paint thinners
• Industrial Packaging - fertilizer, herbicides
• Bulk Containers - lighter fluid, various cleaners
• Automotive - fuel additives, lubricants
• Elastomers - coatings, sealants

Specific benefits of fluorination

There are many benefits fluorinated bottles provide to the companies that use them. There are certainly more than we can list here, but some of the more common fluorination benefits include:

• Greatly reduces permeation through and absorption of contents into the container wall
• Protects product quality, efficacy, and shelf life
• Ensures your bottles and containers will meet regulatory requirements, including Department of Transportation (DOT), US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and California Air Resources Board (CARB) packaging regulations
• Prevents content loss, flavor loss, container paneling, label flagging, discoloration, container softening, and odor emissions
• Provides you with cost-effectiveness and the capabilities to use various container sizes and designs

At MJS Packaging, we have encountered just about every possible packaging issue you are experiencing or could experience. We can help you get the fluorination solution you need for your packaging and comply with all the necessary regulatory requirements. Please connect with one of our experts and we will be glad to help you get the best solution for your needs.