REACH - A Future Without Chromium Trioxide

Abstract

“Improving the protection of human health and the environment by better understanding the impact of chemicals” is the goal of the REACH regulation, which came into force on 1 June 2007. Under the new regulation, registered substances, such as chromium trioxide, were subjected to a risk assessment. As a consequence, on 17 April 2013 chromium trioxide was included in Annex XIV of the regulation for substances subject to authorisation and therefore its use now requires authorisation. Areas of industry particularly affected by this include the pre-treatment of plastics, decorative chromium plating, including on metal substrates, and hard chromium electroplating (Figure 1). Following the sunset date on 21 September 2017, chromium trioxide can only be used with an authorisation. However, its use in these individual areas, depending on the application for authorisation, is only permitted for a maximum period of 12 years after the sunset date. The application for authorisation for decorative chromium plating with a functional character, which was submitted by a consortium with over 1000 members, is likely to end as early as 2023. This means that it is only a matter of time before chromium trioxide has to be completely phased out in electroplating processes. Car manufacturers are already preparing for a future without chromium (VI) and are calling for a supply chain which does not use chromium trioxide, including for components manufactured in non-EU countries.