United States
                        Environmental Protection
                        Agency
                                  Region 5
                                  77 West Jackson Boulevard
                                  Chicago, Illinois 60604
                                              EPA 905-F-00-027
                                              October 2000
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Chromium compounds
are considered highly
toxic to humans.
Chromium (VT), or
hexachrome, can cause
ulcers of the skin,
irritation of the nasal
mucosa, and irritation of
the gastrointestinal tract,
and adverse effects in the
kidneys and liver.
Based on animal and
human studies,
chromium (VT) and its
compounds should be
considered probable
carcinogens in humans
exposed by inhalation.
        TECHNICAL  FACT
SHEET  FOR  CHROMIUM
            HAZARDS  AND
           ALTERNATIVES
                   EPA PARTNERSHIP AND YOU...

          The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has identified
          numerous persistent, bioaccumulative and/or toxic chemicals that may be
          present in some industrial hazardous wastes regulated under the Resource
          Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).  In addition to its ongoing
          regulatory activities, EPA will encourage efforts to achieve reduction of the generation of
          chemicals that are either persistent, bioaccumulative and/or toxic. EPA will also work with
          states, industry, and environmental groups through workshops, technical assistance programs,
          partnership agreements, regulatory reinvention projects, and other strategies to promote progress
          toward the goal of reducing the generation of RCRA PBT's in hazardous waste by 50 percent
          by the year 2005.

                                  THE CHROMIUM CONNECTION

                        Chromium (III) occurs naturally in the environment.  Chromium (VT)
                        is generally produced by industrial processes, and used in such
                        industries as pigment manufacturing, leather tanning, wood treatment
          and chrome plating. The primary use for chromium compounds containing chromium
          (VT) is in the metal finishing industry for both decorative and functional purposes.
          Chromium is oftenchosen as a surface finish because it possesses  a low coefficient of
          friction, high hardness, good corrosion resistance, high heat resistance  and anti-galling
          properties. Due to its toxicity and suspected carcinogenicity, however, chromium is
          heavily regulated for the protection of human health and of the environment. These
          regulatory requirements, as well as the growing awareness among metal platers
          regarding the health effects of chromium exposure, have led to a search for acceptable
          alternatives to using chromium in the electroplating industry.
                            Here are some of the uses for chromium:
             X Corrosion  resistance for metals
             X Gives metals longer wear
             X Electrical insulation of metals
             X Decorative purposes (for metals)
             X As chromium sulfate, used to stabilize collagen in hides when tanning leather
             X A component of pigments used in the printing industry
             X A component of paint used in industrial applications

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Here are some of the industries that may use chromium:

    X Automotive manufacturing/repair
    X Aerospace industry
    X Leather tanneries
    X Metal finishers
    X Pigment manufacturing
    X Printing
    X Painting
    X Wood treatment

    BREAKING THE TIE WITH CHROMIUM

There is no known single replacement for chromium  in
electroplating  and other process,
however, there are some alternative
technologies available  that can
replace  electroplating in specific
applications. Testing should be done on a site-specific
basis to determine the most feasible coating alternative. In
many cases, alternative surface finishes prove to be cost-
effective and environmentally beneficial replacements for
chromium.

Here are several chromium alternatives:

Electroless Plating - Electroless plating is a process  in
which metal ions in a dilute aqueous solution are deposited
onto a substrate by means of a continuous reaction. Many
metals and  alloys can be deposited onto substrates by
electroless  plating,  but nickel  is  the most common
replacement for chromium. Nickel coatings have excellent
wear and corrosion resistance, and may be used in a wide
range of applications.   However, risks from hazardous
vapor and corrosive chemicals still exist in this process.

Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) - Chemical vapor
deposition, or CVD, is  a process in which a coating  is
deposited onto a substrate by a  reactive vapor that  is
typically  a  metal halide, metal  carbonyl, hydride, or
organometallic compound. CVD provides a thick, dense,
high-purity  film  on  substrates.    Due  to the  high
temperatures  necessary  to  complete  this  process,
temperature-sensitive substrates  cannot be coated with
CVD.

Surface Hardening - Surface hardening is  a process  in
which a steel substrate is heated to the lowest temperature
at which a gaseous medium (typically carbon or nitrogen)
will absorb and diffuse into the surface. Substrates that are
subjected to surface hardening demonstrate good wear
resistance; however, use of this process is also limited to
heat-resistant substrates.  Some of the spent baths used
after coating may be considered to be hazardous waste.

Thermal Spraying - Thermal spraying is a particle impact
method in which a coating material is melted and then
projected toward a substrate with compressed air or gas.
Thermal spraying offers corrosion and wear resistance, but
cannot effectively coat complex substrates.  This process
also generates dust and fumes that may be health hazards.

Physical Vapor Deposition/Vacuum Coating -  Vacuum
coating uses positive ions or neutral atoms to bombard a
substrate  with  coating material.   This technology is
environmentally  benign,  very  versatile,  and  offers
improved adhesion and film structure.  The downside of
vacuum  coating  is its high capital cost, high voltage
requirements, and use of toxic chemicals.

Other  Chromium Plating  Alternatives -  Other  metal
finishing technologies include the  use  of  sulfuric acid
anodizing, In-Mold Plating, the application of zirconium
oxide coating or applying other composites or alloys as
surface treatments.  One  of these  alternative finishing
technologies may be a viable chromium plating alternative
depending on   the composition  and  the  functional
requirements of the parts that are to be treated.

In the  Wood Treatment Industries - Several alternatives
exist in the wood  preservation industry which replace
chromium-based products.  Boron-based sprays, dusts or
pastes  can be applied to the wood's surface to help in
reducing decay.   Another option  for  protecting wood
without using chromium is by inserting boron-treated rods
directly into the body of the wood.
These  rods will dissolve and  will
then diffuse throughout the wood as
the moisture content increases, thus
treating and protecting the wood.

In the Printing and Painting Industries - Waste paint and
printing inks sometimes contain chromium. In addition,
when specific types of aerosol paints are applied, small
amounts of chromium in the paint can be released into the
air and inhaled.  Alternative coatings, such as electrostatic
or powder coatings, in addition to the use of chromium-
free paints should be considered and tests performed on a
site-specific basis to determine the most feasible coating
alternative.

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In addition, process modifications can reduce chromium
waste generation and allow for the recycling of chromium
within various industrial processes. Though these methods
are commonly associated with metal finishing, similar
methods can  be implemented  in  a wide  variety  of
industries with similar  results.  Process modifications in
addition to  chromium alternatives  can reduce waste
disposal and input  material  costs while lessening
environmental impacts and creating a positive business
image.

Here  are  several  examples  of  chromium  process
modifications:

Dragout Recovery and Reduction - Dragout recovery and
reduction can be accomplished in many ways. Reducing
surface  area  and using  designs  which promote  rapid
drainage from plating racks can lead to reduced dragout
volumes by maximizing drainage directly into  process
tanks. In a similar fashion, dragout drain boards and drip
tanks allow plating solutions to be returned directly to the
process  tanks. Implementing revised rinsing techniques
and technologies which reduce rinse volumes and limit the
introduction of impurities can allow rinse solutions to be
returned to the plating process. The added water present
in the rinse solution can compensate for evaporative losses.

Evaporation  - Evaporation is a commonly used method
for the recovery of metal salts used in the metal finishing
industry. This process concentrates the plating chemicals
through evaporation of plating solutions. The resulting
concentrated  solution  can then be reintroduced into the
process  tanks and reduce the need for the addition of new
              raw  materials.    In  addition,   some
              evaporative recovery systems  contain
              systems which condense the water vapor
              removed from the plating solution.  The
              resulting water can then be reintroduced
              into process tanks, further reducing costs.

Reverse Osmosis - Reverse osmosis systems are similar to
evaporative systems since they can recover both plating
solutions  and water.    Reverse  osmosis relies  on  a
membrane through which water can pass,  but plating
chemicals cannot. By circulating plating solutions through
this membrane, plating chemicals and water are separated.
The resulting concentrated plating solution can  then  be
returned to the process tanks and the resulting water can be
reintroduced into the system as rinse and make-up water.
Other Technologies - Other technologies or management
practices such as the application of fluorosurfactant fume
suppressant,  using tank chemistry monitors, and using
written procedures for bath make-up and additions may
reduce chromium waste generation.

   MEASURE YOUR SUCCESS
There are many  companies that have
implemented   successful   chromium
alternatives  and  chromium reduction
plans in their process operations.  Many
companies  have  also benefitted  from
savings in reducing chromium use and replacing chromium
with the more environmentally friendly alternatives. Here
are some success stories for several types of chromium
reduction and replacement alternatives:

•   A plating plant in Ohio reduced its annual chromium
    use  from 700 pounds  to  400 pounds  while  also
    maintaining   identical   production.     The  plant
    accomplished this chromium reduction by installing a
    closed-loop electropolish process that pipes rinse water
    through a heavy metal exchange cylinder and reuses it
    in the process.  They also converted a stave rinse to a
    spray rinse, saving 200 pounds of chrome per year.

•   A tannery was found to have the potential to reduce
    chromium   wastes  by  utilizing  the  following
    techniques; recycle used chromium effluent (savings of
    $5,000/yr);   precipitate  chromium   wastes   with
    hydroxide, settle, and re-dissolve with acid and reuse,
    reducing chromium  in the wastewater and saving
    $l,000/yr.   The implementation of these techniques
    could reduce chromium purchases by 2 metric tons per
    year.

•   A company replaced its chrome bright-dipping process
    (used on brass  kitchen  fixtures)  with  a hydrogen
    peroxide-based process.  This change resulted in a
    reduction in the quantity of chromium waste and a
    reduction in the consumption of materials used to treat
    chromium  wastes.   There  was no significant  cost
    associated  with the replacement  of chromium, and
    resulted in a savings of approximately $6,000 per year.

•   Another plating  company  reconfigured  their  rinse
    tanks  using  some  of  the  process  modifications
    previously mentioned and decreased water flow rates

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   which initially reduced their wastewater discharge by
   50 percent.  In addition, inexpensive flow restrictors
   were installed to reduce the flow of water into rinse
   tanks.   This  modification  further reduced  daily
   wastewater discharges from 40,000 gallons to 11,000
   gallons. Not only did this modification have a positive
   impact on the environment, but is saved the company
   over $18,000  annually.   These  modifications  in
   addition to other waste volume reduction techniques
   have resulted in an total annual savings of nearly
   $24,000 while  maintaining  production rates  and
   quality standards.

•  An   extremely  inexpensive  ($500)   and  easily
   accomplished process  modification involving the
   redesign of a parts plating basket resulted in a dragout
   reduction of approximately  55  percent,  reduced
   wastewater discharge concentrations, and reduced raw
   material costs by $250 per year. While not as complex
   or dramatic as other process modifications, simple
   waste reduction steps  can have  significant positive
   effects on the environment and the bottom line.

          FOR MORE INFORMATION...

There are various resources to locate more information on
chromium reduction and alternatives for your workplace.
Here a just a few of the websites available via the Internet
and government agencies listings that would be able  to
provide more information.

               Websites
Government Listings

   U.S. EPA Region 5
       P2 Hotline
       =§> 888/745-7272 (888-PIK-P2P2)

   Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
       Office of Pollution Prevention
       ^> 217/782-8700

   Indiana Dept. of Environmental Mgmt.
       Office of Pollution Prevention
       =£> 317/232-8172

   Michigan Dept.  of Environmental Quality
       Environmental Assistance Division
       ^>800/662-9278

   Minnesota Technical Assistance Program
       ^> 612/624-1300

   Ohio Environmental Protection Agency
       Office of Pollution Prevention
       ^> 614/644-3469

   Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources
       Cooperative Environmental Assistance
       =§> 608/267-9700
   www.epa.gov/reg5rcra/wptdiv/
         p2pages/index. html
   www.manufacturing.net/magazine
   buzz.ea.ucla.edu/cct.froines.news.html
   www.sni.net/light/p3/cdphe_05.htm
   www.turi.ort/P2GEMS
   www.emcentre.com
   www.mntap.umn.edu
   metalfinishing-sc.com
   www.epa.ohio.gov/opp
   es.epa.gov/studies (EnviroSense)
   www.pprc.org/pprc
   www.deq.state.mi.us/ead/p2sect/
   www.epa.gov/opptintr/p2home
   www.surfacefinishing.com
   www.pwrc.usgs. gov/new/chrback.htm

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