No later than the date of publication of the Technical Information
"Possible exposure to chromium(VI) through contact of chromium-alloyed steels with materials containing alkali and alkaline earth metals in power plants".
by BG ETEM, the professional association for energy, textiles, electrical and media products, the "chromate disaster" we have been describing for almost three years has become a "chromate scandal".
If the BG, as the "Industrial Employers' Liability Insurance Association in Germany and thus the body responsible for statutory accident insurance", is responsible for the following sectors (among others)
Energy supply companies
Gas, district heating, water and sewerage companies
Aircraft and space technology
warns about one of the so-called "bread and butter products" of its own members, namely the thermal insulation found in almost all installations, which is now largely made of the above-mentioned "materials containing alkali or alkaline earth metals", the expert knows how explosive this information is.
The decision to publish this technical information confirms, point by point, all our editorial comments on chromate formation, in particular calcium chromate (CaCrO4), which is classified as a carcinogenic, mutagenic and, in some countries, reproductive toxic substance (H350) and is also included in the REACH list of substances of very high concern (SVHC) as "chronically harmful to the environment with long-term effects on the aquatic environment" (H410)!
For those insulators and service technicians who have been struggling with health problems for years, but have never been able to properly attribute their complaints to decades of working with insulation containing alkali or alkaline earth metals, because even the medical services had no factual basis to classify the complaints, there may now be a little hope of better presenting their illnesses to the doctors!
The insulation industry may also be in for a bit of a bumpy ride, as in recent weeks and months the truth has come to light that working with the insulation materials in question may not have been as harmless as it was always made out to be.
The editors have the information letter, which we have not yet been able to find on the Employers' Liability Insurance Association's website, so we are offering our loyal readers the document here exclusively for viewing or downloading:
The final remark of the letter also gives hope, here it says literally:
"Future course of action:" In the following months, further measurements will follow during revisions in order to verify the available results. This will be done with the aim of comprehensively analysing the problem and being able to further specify the risk it poses and its scope. The measurements are carried out under realistic workplace conditions by the measurement service of BG ETEM, BG BAU and some state measurement centres. In order to carry out the investigations and measurements, companies are also being sought where the problem may occur or which have already registered visible deposits."
We, as editors and in cooperation with the companies who, like us, have been dealing with chromate formation in the use of insulating materials containing alkali and alkaline earth metals for years, will provide all the information that has been ascertained so far and thus hopefully be able to contribute to the presentation of the - especially on the part of the industry - lack of duty to clarify and hope that now, in contrast to the beginnings of the research, the truth will come to light in its entirety.
We will of course report on the progress here.
In keeping with yesterday's events, I would like to point out the following:
May the 4th be with us!