EU Bans Chrome Plating. Will It Effect The Model Kit Industry?

[doorsovdoon]

Yep, as if they couldn't think up another way to destroy more industry, the EU along with the UK have banned chrome plating but have also banned the import of chrome plated items. Most of what I've read is about 1-1 vehicles but no one seems to be talking about the other endless applications it's used in like scale kits and model vehicles. I haven't done a deep dive on the issue but it's not looking good if the ban covers everything and anything. Don't take away my model kit building!?

[stitchdup]

its not what it seems, https://www.magnetomagazine.com/proposed-eu-chrome-plating-ban-isnt-what-it-seems/

[doorsovdoon]

4 minutes ago, stitchdup said:

its not what it seems, https://www.magnetomagazine.com/proposed-eu-chrome-plating-ban-isnt-what-it-seems/

Thanks for the link. The process of plating plastic is different so hopefully we're safe there. 

[Ace-Garageguy]

Plating plastic model car parts is a "vacuum metalizing" process using aluminum vapor.

Entirely different animal...but there's surely somebody somewhere getting all panty-wadded about that too.

[doorsovdoon]

51 minutes ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

Plating plastic model car parts is a "vacuum metalizing" process using aluminum vapor.

Entirely different animal...but there's surely somebody somewhere getting all panty-wadded about that too.

I wouldn't be surprised. I've been reading up about chrome plating for some hours now (I know little about it) though thankfully plastic chrome looks to be safe from these little Hitlers... for now. Not sure if they could, to be honest. Vehicle headlights are chrome plated plastic, we'd be driving with very dim lights if not plated. lol

[1972coronet]

Bigger fish to fry, wot ? I'm surprised that a certain couple of States haven't toppled that industry yet...

[CaddyDaddy]

Well, you can forget about 1:1 crank journal repair.

[CaddyDaddy]

I'm gonna finance my next trip to the Continent by swallowing a handful of plated metric cap screws and see if I can get past customs!

[peteski]

On 3/7/2024 at 2:16 PM, doorsovdoon said:

I wouldn't be surprised. I've been reading up about chrome plating for some hours now (I know little about it) though thankfully plastic chrome looks to be safe from these little Hitlers... for now. Not sure if they could, to be honest. Vehicle headlights are chrome plated plastic, we'd be driving with very dim lights if not plated. lol

Not quite.  As you found out, there are different ways to "plate".  The chrome electroplating process of things like vintage car bumpers requires a lot of nasty chemicals.  Things like headlight buckets are likely vacuum metalized (just like it is done for plastic kit's "chrome" metal parts).  The metal is usually aluminum, not chrome and no nasty chemicals are involved.

Besides, most new cars usually use some sort of projection headlights which do not have the typical reflector you would see in conventional halogen headlights.

But if chrome electroplating is banned, how will people be able to restore vintage cars?  I think this planet is getting out of control as far as the environmental craziness goes.

[Brian Austin]

There is a way to plate classic car parts that involves fewer chemicals, Trivalent vs Hexavalent.

 

"...The trivalent chrome chemistry does not pose the same toxicological and carcinogenic concerns associated with hex-chrome, therefore, the potential litigation (a la Erin Brockovich) can be mitigated because in general, it means worker safety can be improved. ..."

 

https://www.pfonline.com/articles/switching-from-hexavalent-to-trivalent-chromium-plating

[Brian Austin]

https://calmatters.org/environment/2023/05/hexavalent-chrome-plating-ban/

[Ace-Garageguy]

On 3/7/2024 at 8:52 PM, 1972coronet said:

Bigger fish to fry, wot ? I'm surprised that a certain couple of States haven't toppled that industry yet...

"Jul 12, 2023 — State air regulators recently banned a toxic chemical commonly used to produce a shiny metal finish on classic car parts."

https://spectrumnews1.com/ca/la-west/business/2023/07/12/california-bans-chrome-plating--impacting-decorative-platers-and-metal-finishers

The world won't be safe until humans do nothing but sit in the dark, eating their fungus (or Soylent Green) raw, while trying not to exert themselves, so as to limit breathing and exhaling deadly carbon dioxide.

 

Edited March 23, 2024 by Ace-Garageguy

[Brian Austin]

On 3/7/2024 at 2:16 PM, doorsovdoon said:

thankfully plastic chrome looks to be safe from these little Hitlers... for now.

Have you considered viewing the issue from their point of view?  This sort of rhetoric isn't very helpful.

[Brian Austin]

Long ago I once tried my hand at plating at a small metal finishing facility, so I can picture the vats described in the hexavalent type of plating.  Chemicals were fairly nasty, and in the end I'm glad the job didn't work out for me. 

Society has moved on from lead additives to paint and gasoline.  We can survive a change in metal plating.

 

Edited March 23, 2024 by Brian Austin

[Ace-Garageguy]

7 minutes ago, Brian Austin said:

...We can survive a change in metal plating.

    

Edited March 23, 2024 by Ace-Garageguy