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plating and anodizing: CHROME REGULATIONS

New Chromium Electroplating,

Chromium Anodizing and Reverse

Etching Regulations Take Effect

BY STEWART TYMCHUK
sor/2009-162
Recently, the Chromium Electroplating, Chromium Anodiz-
ing and Reverse Etching Regulation was amended. The
goals of the regulatory amendments were to both provide
more flexibility and consistency for facilities to comply
with the Regulations and to clarify regulatory requirements
in light of currently available technologies.
In essence, the Regulations previously required surface
tension measurements be made with a tensiometer and
be performed in accordance with ASTM D 1331-89
(re-approved 2001), Standard Test Methods for Surface
and Interfacial Tension of Solutions of Surface-Active
Agents. New and different types of tensiometers are now
available which are not based on the principles of the du
Nouy tensiometer and therefore do not require a reference
to ASTM D 1331-89.

aPPlication
The Kibiron AquaPi+ is one example of
These regulations apply to any facility that uses a solution a high precision tensiometer which can now be used
containing a hexavalent chromium compound for under the new regulations for more reliable, faster, and precise measurements.
chromium electroplating, chromium anodizing or reverse
etching in a tank where 50 kg or more of chromium trioxide
(CrO3) is used per calendar year. (4) Each facility intending to change either the method
of controlling the release of hexavalent chromium
General reqUirements compounds from a tank or the surface tension meas-
(1) Each facility, where the regulation applies, must con- urement method for a tank must notify the Ministry.
trol the release of hexavalent chromium compounds
from each tank by one of the following methods: Use of a Point soUrce
• using a point source; Each facility that controls the release of hexavalent
• limiting the surface tension of the solution chromium compounds from a tank by using a point source
in the tank; must use a control device in the emission collection system
• using a tank cover. and must not release more than 0.03 mg/dscm of hexavalent
chromium from any point source.
(2) Each facility must submit a notice to the Minister Each facility required to comply must perform a release
indicating, for each tank, the method used to control test establishing compliance at each point source and per-
the release of hexavalent chromium compounds. form a new release test at least every five years afterwards,
providing the average of three sampling runs from that test
(3) If the release of hexavalent chromium compounds did not exceed 0.03 mg/dscm of hexavalent chromium
from a tank is controlled by limiting the surface from any point source.
tension of the solution, the notice must state whether These tests must be repeated if the facility has replaced
a tensiometer or a stalagmometer is or will be used a control device, increased the total surface area of the
to measure surface tension. solution by more than 25 percent or made changes to
the ventilation system that affected the velocity or the
flow rate.

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