U.S. military seeks to reduce reliance on toxic hexavalent chromium

[sabra]

Source: Stars and Stripes

It is a highly toxic chemical that allegedly sickened National Guardsmen in Iraq and caused the legal battle that inspired the movie “Erin Brockovich.”

Now, hexavalent chromium is in the U.S. military’s sights under a recent Pentagon order to begin finding ways to reduce the use of the carcinogen.

The chemical “is kind of a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” said Paul Yaroschak, deputy director for Chemical and Material Risk Management at the Pentagon. “It is a superb corrosion inhibitor and we use it in primers, paints and coatings. The bad news is it is a very well-known carcinogen at low levels.”

Lawsuits and spreading concerns over “serious human health and environmental risks” are increasing the cost of hexavalent chromium and forcing the DOD to look for alternatives, according to an April order by then-Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics John Young.

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But for now, the DOD says hexavalent chromium remains too important to ban outright.

As an ingredient in anti-corrosive coatings, it helps the DOD stave off damaging rust that costs it between $10 billion and $20 billion per year, Office of Corrosion Policy and Oversight figures show.

Read more: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=64792

[ProgressiveProfessor]

1. Its nasty stuff, but there is nothing anywhere near as effective

Crud control on ships, airplanes, and other equipment is a really big deal. Everyone wants to find something better.

[bemildred]

2. Dead people do not matter when it comes to military stuff.

That's what the military is for, after all.