Products Finishing has released two episodes from its On the Line podcast series that focus on an important current topic for the surface finishing community. The two-part story discusses the California Air Resources Board’s (CARB) recently proposed deadlines for transitioning away from hexavalent chromium-based metal finishing technologies. Effectively the proposed deadlines would phase-out the use of hexavalent chromium finishing technologies for decorative use by 2023, for functional (hard chrome) applications by 2027 and for chromic acid anodizing by 2032.
On the Line approaches the story from a couple of angles, first speaking with Mark Schario, Mark Schario, executive vice president with Columbia Chemical (Brunswick, Ohio), who offers some background on trivalent chromium as an alternative to hex chrome plating. Schario discusses recent tri-chrome innovations that may help plating operations facing a phase-out of hex chrome technologies, including the company’s lat
Proposed regulations from the California Air Resources Board (CARB) regarding the use of hexavalent chromium in the state have California metal finishers bracing themselves for a dire situation.
CARB held its fourth Technical Working Group Meeting in late April regarding the rules for a widespread transition from hexavalent chromium plating to trivalent chromium. The group is now proposing the following deadlines for the transition.
A halt on the development of any new hexavalent hard or decorative chromium electroplating facility or a new chromic acid anodizing facility effective December 31, 2021.
Transition of existing decorative hexavalent chromium electroplating to trivalent chromium by January 1, 2023