Substitution of PFOS for use in nondecorative hard chrome plating

1000 metal plating companies in Japan that use PFOS. Information from
Japan in 2007 stated that only about 50 of these companies have changed
their process to Chromium-(III) instead of Chromium-(VI). This means that
950 companies in Japan used PFOS in their metal plating processes in 2007
(SC UNEP/POPS/POPRC.3/13, 2007). Since then more companies could
have changed to the Chromium-(III) process, where PFOS is not necessary,
instead of the Chromium-(VI) process.
According to Carloni (2009), Japan has in 2007 reported to the POPs Review
Committee (POPRC) of the Stockholm Convention that the total amount of
PFOS estimated for use in metal plating in Japan is 2-3 tons annually.
A 2009 survey showed that the Japanese use of PFOS for metal plating has
ceased. Today, in Japan, only three essential applications are left for PFOS –
and chrome plating is not one of them. PFOS is no longer allowed to be used
for chrome plating in Japan. 9 Instead the compound Fumetrol ® 21 is used as
alternative. 10
2.2.18 Australia
According to the Australian Government (NICNAS Alert No. 8, 2008), the
use of PFOS imported into Australia was 760 kg and 1,350 kg in the years
2006 and 2007 respectively. No PFOS chemicals are produced in Australia.
This data was achieved by a national survey performed in May, 2008.
According to this survey, 99% of this PFOS amount was used as mist
suppressants in metal plating. The current stocks of PFOS were 7.8 tons,
where only 3% of this amount was PFOS stocks for metal plating – the PFOS
stocks was mostly held by the fire fighting industry (97%).
A similar survey was carried out in 2006 (NICNAS Alert No. 5, 2007). Here
the stocks of PFOS in the end of 2005 were reported to be 9.36 tons PFOS.
There is no report of how much of that PFOS amount is for metal plating. In
2004 and 2005 no import of PFOS was reported. It is, however, stated that it
is likely that importers and users may not know if products contain PFOS as
the ingredient may not be listed on the Material Safety Data Sheet.
The difference in the stocks between 2007 and 2005 is assumed to have been
used (9.36 -7.8 tons = 1.56 tons). As mentioned above only 3% of the stocks
in 2007 was for metal plating purposes. If it is assumed that only 3% of the
stocks of PFOS in Australia is PFOS for mist suppressants for metal plating
for both the year 2005 and 2007, then there has been an extra use of PFOS in
the years 2005 and 2007 of 47 kg (3% of 9.36 – 7.8 tons), which is an average
of 23.5 kg per year. To this amount should be added the average of the total
imported amounts in 2006 and 2007 of 2.1 tons (99% of 0.76 + 1.35 tons).
Using this information results in an average of about 1070 kg PFOS per year
in the period of 2006 to 2007 used as mist suppressants in metal plating in
Australia.
9 Takashi Fukushima, the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.
Presentation at the International Workshop on new POPs, Beijing, 1-2 July, 2010.
10 Personal information from Takashi Fukushima, Director for Chemical
Management Policy from MEKI, the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and
Industry, July 2010.
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