Congressional Letter Sent to Automakers Regarding Hexavalent Chromium

Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (D-MI) recently sent a major letter to automotive industry CEOs regarding the use of hexavalent chromium from plating in the automotive supply chain. NASF Government Affairs through The Policy Group spoke on this and related topics last week at the Automotive Industry Action Group’s fall conference on the International Material Data System (IMDS).

Michigan Congresswoman Debbie Dingell recently sent a letter to the CEOs of several automotive companies urging them to stop the use of hexavalent chromium in their supply chain. The letter was triggered by the recent facility release of hexavalent chromium near the Huron River in the Detroit Metropolitan area.

Rep. Dingell specifically called upon the automobile industry “to act immediately to not only remove hexavalent chromium from its supply chain, but the industry must also take meaningful steps to review the actions of its current and future suppliers to ensure they are meeting strong environmental and public health safety standards.”

NASF and Industry Stewardship and Accomplishments

NASF has led several discussions since early this year on continued stewardship efforts of the finishing industry on the use, control and management of hexavalent chromium and appropriate alternatives in the surface finishing industry. Since the early 1990s, the surface finishing industry has reduced hexavalent chromium air emissions by over 99.7 percent and reduced the amount of chromium discharged in wastewater by 90-95 percent.

Recent Dialogues with EPA, Michigan and Automotive Supply Chain

NASF has been actively engaged in 2022 in a dialogue with EPA Region 5, the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE), and representatives from the automobile industry on the topic of alternatives to hexavalent chromium and PFAS in the automotive supply chain and to ensure that the use of hexavalent chromium in the supply chain is managed appropriately.

If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact Christian Richter or Jeff Hannapel with NASF at crichter@thepolicygroup.com or jhannapel@thepolicygroup.com.

This update is courtesy of the National Association for Surface Finishing (NASF). For more information or to become a member, visit nasf.org.