European Union Threatening To Ban Chrome Plating beginning in 2023

[Exhaustgases]

Its just another metal used in industry, those metals all make our lives easier. I suppose the take it away bunch wants us all living in caves again and no camp fires allowed.
All the talk of leaching this or that. Just know that if say oil was not drilled for, sooner or later it will just start leaching from the ground and ocean floors, I think there are areas even in California where that happens. Metals and elements from the ground all get in ground water.

 

[Opelman]

Its just another metal used in industry, those metals all make our lives easier. I suppose the take it away bunch wants us all living in caves again and no camp fires allowed.
All the talk of leaching this or that. Just know that if say oil was not drilled for, sooner or later it will just start leaching from the ground and ocean floors, I think there are areas even in California where that happens. Metals and elements from the ground all get in ground water.

Even to this day you can see crude oil leaching out of the ground, under the street and sidewalk right into the storm drain near the LaBrea tar pits in Los Angeles. But don't you dare let leaves that fell on the driveway get washed downstream by the rain. Storm water authority actually hassled us at work for that.

 

[kschachn]

Why would you think the ban would extend all forms of Chrome plating? More likely result is that cheaper, less environmentally friendly methods of plating will be banned.

None are cheaper and all are inferior, hence the preference to third-world locations. If you want good chrome plating you go to China or India or Vietnam.

Same for other transition metal plating.

 

[KrisZ]

First come the rules, then come the bans.

 

[JavierH19]

Oh boy. If only i wasn't on my last permanent ban warning.

 

[userfriendly]

Also mules expel gas so we can't have that.

Mine is GTL.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

Even to this day you can see crude oil leaching out of the ground, under the street and sidewalk right into the storm drain near the LaBrea tar pits in Los Angeles. But don't you dare let leaves that fell on the driveway get washed downstream by the rain. Storm water authority actually hassled us at work for that.

Leaves cause back-ups which then cause on-street flooding and a higher risk of accidents. If it hasn't rained in awhile the risk is greater because there's more material which has accumulated.

 

[wemay]

I do the electrical maintenance on a medium sized chrome plating operation ......

His business has trippled in the past few years due to restrictions in some states lots of items shipped in from California and Nevada

Oklahoma has lax regulations on this process that being said the water run off on the property as well as the waste water is monitored by the city of Oklahoma city monthly and subject to random testing

This building and the process are grandfathered in....... he wanted to build a new shop in a new location but is not allowed by the city so he must maintain the current building and location no exceptions

Cyanide and many other heavy metals are present without a doubt

Thanks for sharing as an insider.

 

[IndyIan]

In the mountain bike world chrome plated fork stanchions are "low end" and the good forks get other stuff used for plating and more slippery stanchions. Maybe be marketing BS but probably some truth to it.
So I assume there are a few viable industrial alternatives, but may cost a bit more?

 

[tcp71]

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[paulo57509]

California becomes the first state to phase out toxic hexavalent chromium

The state Air Resources Board voted today to ban the substance known as chromium 6, giving platers several years to switch to an alternative.

calmatters.org

 

[Braapdaddy]

California becomes the first state to phase out toxic hexavalent chromium

The state Air Resources Board voted today to ban the substance known as chromium 6, giving platers several years to switch to an alternative.

calmatters.org

I can confirm that the process is definitely giving off caustic or corrosive fumes .....when I mentioned the city regulates the drains and runoff the air quality is non existent

Let's put it this way any metal surface in the facility that is not coated in epoxy paint is altered by the fumes to the point you can touch the metal and it literally wipes off into dust

The metal decking of the ceiling the main victim to the point I will go up on the roof or let one of my workers go up there for fear of falling thru

The answer is chrome powdercoat for no frictional parts and kashima for others

 

[kschachn]

Yes they would be caustic, never acidic. It's a nasty business and there isn't much of an alternative to using cyanide as the coordination ion. This has to be disposed of somehow.

I once interviewed for a job at a plating facility and the smell of hydrogen cyanide was prevalent in the entire office. We learned what HCN smelled like in organic synthesis class and you recognize it immediately. I honestly could not imagine working there.

It's not only the chromium plating either, you don't just plate chrome onto iron without at least one intermediate layer.

 

[Braapdaddy]

Yes they would be caustic, never acidic. It's a nasty business and there isn't much of an alternative to using cyanide as the coordination ion. This has to be disposed of somehow.

I once interviewed for a job at a plating facility and the smell of hydrogen cyanide was prevalent in the entire office. We learned what HCN smelled like in organic synthesis class and you recognize it immediately. I honestly could not imagine working there.

It's not only the chromium plating either, you don't just plate chrome onto iron without at least one intermediate layer.

Yes sir lots of cyanide warning sings about and I believe he use lots of nickle for the base or first step

 

[dlundblad]

Certainly someone in the executive corridors of Brussels has given this some thought.

Lol this would be a big no.

Their sheep will follow them right over the cliff too.

 

[Jetronic]

None are cheaper and all are inferior, hence the preference to third-world locations. If you want good chrome plating you go to China or India or Vietnam.

Same for other transition metal plating.

Most chrome plating seems to be on plastics these days.... have a look around your cars

 

[kschachn]

Most chrome plating seems to be on plastics these days.... have a look around your cars

Perhaps but the process is similar except for the first layer which makes the surface conductive. You're still laying down chromium in the end.

 

[Pew]

Are they completely banning chrome plating or just the manufacturing?

 

[Kristian]

Most, if not all of chrome plating and pretty much all of manufacturing is done out of EU anyway. We ship stuff to Serbia or Bosnia to get it done.

 

[Jetronic]

Perhaps but the process is similar except for the first layer which makes the surface conductive. You're still laying down chromium in the end.

exactly my point: there's definitely alternatives to putting chrome on plastics.