Planned Change to Rogers PTFE-Based Laminate RT/duroid® 5880LZ Product as a Result of the United States EPA 2010/2015 PFOA Stewardship Program

In 2006, the U.S. EPA launched the 2010/15 PFOA Stewardship Program. The objective of this program is to encourage the elimination of PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) in the production of PTFE resin. PFOA is a compound known to persist in the environment. The target reduction goals were 95% by 2010, and100% by 2015. As a result of this and other countries’ actions, established PTFE suppliers are ceasing production of PTFE resin produced using high levels of PFOA in their polymerization process.

PTFE resin manufacturers converted their high volume grades before converting the smaller volume grades used in PTFE coated fiberglass laminates and filled PTFE laminates. Running in relatively small volume, the PTFE resin used in the manufacture of our RT/duroid® 5880LZ is the last product grade to be transitioned to the no PFOA (referred to in the Rogers’ product description as ‘R3’) containing resin system at Rogers. As was the case with the R3 transition of our RT/duroid® 5000 and 6000 grades, we are making the change to use the same copper grade they currently use. The copper used on the 5880LZ will be discontinued by the manufacturer in 2015 and in order to assure supply continuity and minimize the need for future requalification we will qualify that copper change on the R3 version.

The intent of this letter is to provide notification to the pending change and full compliance with the EPA’s request. The change for this product grade will commence during the last quarter of 2014. We have begun the first qualification product run this month from which we are generating data to be shared with customers and make available qualification samples at the earliest opportunity.

Upon request we will provide the qualification results and data set to current purchasers as soon as it becomes available. All first time orders and new part configuration requests will use the new raw material R3 version immediately upon qualification. The remaining legacy supply is very limited and we would like to work with all current users of the RT/duroid® 5880LZ legacy product to transition to the R3 (No PFOA) version as quickly as possible. Please contact your ACMD Customer Service Representative or Sales Representative to reserve the specific qualification samples you may require.