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Regulatory pressures to switch from hexavalent chromium to trivalent alternatives are a growing concern for many finishing operations. In this Products Finishing Ask the Expert clinic, Brittany McKinney of Pavco discusses the environmental considerations driving these regulations. 

California will hold a public hearing January 27, 2023 on its new state rule to phase out hexavalent chromium plating and anodizing.

Wastewater discharge of hexavalent chromium into Huron River results in “no contact” health advisory, sparking calls for more stringent pollution controls and automotive industry action to reduce hexavalent chromium uses.

In draft regulatory language, CARB bans hexavalent chromium plating processes, prohibits any new hexavalent chromium permits, and imposes strict new control measures until the bans take effect.

Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (D-MI) recently sent a major letter to automotive industry CEOs regarding the use of hexavalent chromium from plating in the automotive supply chain. NASF Government Affairs through The Policy Group spoke on this and related topics last week at the Automotive Industry Action Group’s fall conference on the International Material Data System (IMDS).

NASF joins EPA, State of Michigan, and automotive OEMs to discuss voluntary approach to reduce the use of PFAS and hexavalent chromium for plating in the automotive supply chain.

California Air Resources Board continues to advance rulemaking to transition hexavalent chromium plating to trivalent chromium alternatives.

As the finishing industry begins to move away from the use of hexavalent chromium to trivalent chromium, what factors should finishers consider as they make new investments? Mark Schario, chief technology officer for Columbia Chemical offers a helpful overview of this complicated topic.

This paper covers work on improving the wear performance of a functional chromium coating from a trivalent chromium plating bath.  Wear resistance is a critical aspect of chromium coatings when used in components of both ground-based and aerospace vehicle systems.  Traditional hexavalent chromium coatings have shown exceptional wear resistance in these applications, while the wear resistance of trivalent chromium coatings has been less satisfactory.  Using pulse-reverse electrodeposition to control various characteristics of the chromium coating, the wear performance of trivalent chromium plated panels could be improved.  A multivariate regression model of the electrodeposition conditions shows that bath chemistry parameters within the range of viable plating are not a large contributor to the variance in wear performance, while the roughness and size of macro-cracks is very important for wear-related applications.  The multivariate analysis approach undertaken in this study may find potential applications in broad areas of the plating and finishing industry.

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) proposes agressive deadlines for transitioning to trivalent chromium.