European Union Threatening To Ban Chrome Plating

The European Union (EU) wants to ban chrome plating from 2024, citing health reasons as the main driving force behind the initiative. According toAutocar, it's because of the toxic chemicals released during the material's creation.

While it may not seem like a big deal, it will have a massive impact on the automotive industry. Chrome plating is widely used to differentiate top-spec models from their lesser counterparts, especially on upper-trim trucks like theRam 1500Laramie and GMC Sierra 1500 Denali. Tuning and restomodding companies will also feel the impact of this controversial ban.

Hexavalent chromium is a known carcinogen, often leading to lung cancer. It is apparently 500 times more toxic than diesel emissions. Currently, there's no safe way to produce chrome plating, as all the known procedures release poisonous chemicals.

Besides the automotive world, chrome plating is used around the average house (taps and lighting fixtures). It's also useful in the nautical and aerospace industries. It's a practical material, and by phasing it out, the EU is forcing various large sectors to find an alternative.

Earlier this year,California proposed a similar banfor the same reasons. The proposal was passed in May, meaning any business producing the material must find an alternative, like the less toxic trivalent chromium, or risk fined.

Over 110 chrome-plating facilities exist in the state, meaning the state is facing a severe economic impact if an alternative can't be found. In Europe, a ban would cause an equally significant shift.