Bonus Podcast: California Metal Finishers Push Back on Hex Chrome Ban

California Air Resources Board will hold a public hearing January 26-27, with a discussion to be held Jan 27 at 8:30 a.m. PST on the proposed amendments to the Airborne Toxic Control Measure for Chromium Electroplating and Chromic Acid Anodizing Operations. The purpose of the amendments is to eliminate the use of hexavalent chromium in California communities where the operations exist. The hearing is open to the public and a public comment period is open until January 17.

This episode of On the Line, Products Finishing’s official podcast, provides more details on how to submit comments and how to participate in the meeting either in person or remotely. The National Association for Surface Finishing and the Metal Finishers Association of California strongly encourage members of the metal finishing community to participate.

We spoke with MFACA executive director Bryan Leiker to discover the latest developments in this ongoing challenge for metal finishers in the state. In addition to speaking with us, Leiker provided the following key details to keep in mind regarding the issue:

Key Dates

• Public Comment Deadline:  Tuesday, January 17, 2023
• CARB Board Hearing: 8:30 am Friday, January 27, 2023 [hybrid – Riverside and virtual] (this early time will be hard for Northern to attend in person)
• Release of 15-day Regulatory Package: mid-April 2023
• CARB Board Decision on ATCM: date tbd May, 2023
• Effective Date: January 1, 2023

 
Key Provisions

[CARB announcement 11-29-22]:      

• Phase out use of hexavalent chromium in decorative plating by 1/1/2027 and no new facility permits after 2024
• Phase out use of hexavalent chromium in functional plating (hard plating and chromic acid anodizing) by 1/1/2039
• Interim requirements for functional plating to reduce emissions until phase out occurs including a more stringent emission standard, building enclosure requirements, biannual source tests, and enhanced housekeeping practices
• Two technology reviews to inform future ATCM amendments (for example, adjustments to phase-out dates)

 
Key Concerns

• Deadline will not change customer demand for CrVI decorative plating and no new permits after 2024 for any of these processes
• Update is not emission-based
• Ban dates are arbitrary
• There are no offramps for CrVI decorative plating and could lead to the aerospace plating industry moving out of California much sooner than 2039
• Bans will leak emissions to other states

 
Key Action Items

MFACA is stressing the importance of submitting comments into the record by January 17. It’s important to note that prior comments for previous hearings will not be included and only new comments for this hearing will be considered – it is imperative to resubmit in previous statements.

Metal finishers in the state of California are encouraged to attend in person for the January 27 meeting.

How to Submit Comments

Comments submitted in advance of the hearing must be addressed to one of the following:

Clerks' Office, California Air Resources Board
1001 I Street, Sacramento, California 95814

Electronic Submittal

The hearing will be held at:

Mary D. Nichols Campus, Southern California Headquarters 
California Air Resources Board | Haagen-Smit Auditorium
4001 Iowa Avenue, Riverside, California 92507

There will be a remote Zoom call-in option. Details including the public agenda, and how the public can participate via Zoom, will be posted 10 days before the January 26-27, 2023 board meeting.

For information visit: ww2.arb.ca.gov/rulemaking/2023/chromeatcm2023