It took a long time for a German company to point out the formation of the carcinogenic and chronically environmentally harmful chromium (VI) compound calcium chromate (CaCrO4) when high-temperature insulation is used on diesel and gas engines.
Well hidden and not directly discoverable via the user interface of the otherwise very clear and customer-friendly website
At regular intervals, we check the search engines on the Internet in German, English and French for so-called "keywords" such as "Chromium (VI)", "hexavalent chromium", "Cr6" or also "chromates" in connection with the keyword "engine", "turbine", "industrial plants" or also "yellowish dust", "fiber dust" and of course the terms "insulation", "insulation", "high temperature insulation", "insulation material" or also "calcium", "CaO" etc. must not be missing in this connection.
We were all the more surprised when a new search result was added in the new year: the meaningful file
"Warnings_Motors.pdf"
of the Munich company Zeppelin Baumaschinen GmbH.
Unfortunately, it is not possible to see when this document was created and you can only find it as we did, namely with the indirect search. "A rogue who thinks evil of it..."?!
Although the provider offers an English version, this page is unfortunately not accessible in English, but maybe you use the built-in translator function of your browser (link by clicking the picture below)
Almost at the same time "revived" were probably also the warnings of the French company "Eneria", which like the Munich company in Germany, engines, construction equipment and other services of one of the largest (American) engine and construction equipment manufacturers in and around France (here's the link):
In the meantime, the warnings of the French provider had disappeared for a few months; we have reported on this in the past as well:
What do both warnings from Germany and France have in common? Only "he who seeks finds" leads to success
However, the question arises as to why it is not possible for customers and end consumers to obtain information directly, after all, we are talking about the release of a carcinogenic substance that is also classified as "chronically harmful to the environment, with long-term consequences for water management".
So if you don't know the technical and search terms, you won't find the references, which doesn't exactly testify to a customer-friendly and transparent information policy.
The suspicion arises that one continues to try to keep the problem as small as possible.
Smaller service companies that offer maintenance and service work for engines in the CHP sector and thus also in the biogas/renewable energies sector, who may never have heard of chromates, are consciously or unconsciously left in the dark about the toxic substances to which they may be exposed when they carry out the work described.
It is also possible that the American parent company has no greater interest in the true extent coming to light?
a "new case" for Erin Brockovich?
Especially in America, such things can bring multi-million dollar lawsuits; who doesn't remember the movie "Erin Brockowich", starring Julia Roberts, who, as a simple clerk, successfully fought with tireless zeal against an almost invincible utility company that wanted to keep the release of chromium (VI) into the groundwater secret for years?
In the end, "Pacific Gas & Electric Company" (PG&E) paid damages to the affected parties in the amount of 333 million US dollars.
What not everyone might know:
Erin Brockovich (actually Erin Brockovich-Ellis) is not a fictional person, but a lawyer and activist active to this day (click here for Wikipedia article) and to this day very successful in the fight against especially industrially caused water pollution (if you click on the picture, Erin Brockovich's current homepage will open).
With thousands of engines in use around the world, the admission of harmful exposure to chromates, combined with conceivable local contamination of groundwater caused by original engine parts (insulation) fitted at the factory, would certainly be seen as a super-GAU for a company that presents itself as particularly sustainable, especially nowadays when the focus is on renewable energy production.
The American parent company, which also sells turbines with similar thermal insulation, is coming under increasing pressure, writes "Energy Safety Canada", for example:
The answer to the question "What went wrong?" would have to be extended by the phrase "...should never attract the attention of outsiders...".
You can download the hazard report from "Energy Safety Canada" by clicking on the box below.
We have also just found a warning notice from the engine manufacturer Perkins, also quite well hidden and only in English.
If we're not mistaken, Perkins is also part of the parent company described above, but we still have to research all that cleanly, more on that in the next blog post; we'll do our best to publish it in the short term.