Imagine a Ban on Chrome Plating in California? Well, It's Happening And There's A Proposal That Would Do Just That.
Feb 5, 2022 | By LRS Staff
If you’re working on a lowrider, you may want to consider getting all the chrome you need to be done now. Why? California has just announced a ballot that will ban chroming in California. This will not only force us to get chrome plating done out of State but imagine how much more it would cost when you consider the shipping costs to and from and out of state chrome plater. Yeah…it will triple, if not quadruple, the price we’re paying now.
The main component in chrome plating (that gives it it’s magical shine) is hexavalent chromium. It’s what provides the silver showroom finish that looks like glass, and it’s what adorns our pump, dumps, bumpers, trim, and just about anything that glistens on a lowrider. But aside from aesthetics and the pretty things, chrome has become a significant part of many industries, from kitchenware to aviation equipment, where chrome provides a rust-resistant finish.
But hexavalent chromium is a toxic substance that can cause serious health problems and pollute the environment. As a result, environmental activists and concerned citizens proposed prohibiting chrome plating in California. The proposition aimed to protect the state’s residents and the environment from the harmful effects of hexavalent chromium.
This proposal has been welcomed with open arms by clean air advocated but sent a wave of shock and anger from the auto restoration and finishing business in both automotive and aerospace. A recent LA Times article states, “In California, there are over 110 chrome-plating facilities, and more than 70% of them are located in disadvantaged communities. Los Angeles County in particular — with its abundance of car enthusiasts and top aerospace companies — has the greatest concentration of chrome platers in the nation.”
To read an in-depth article on the possible ban on chrome plating check out this piece by LA Times.
May people also think, “Well, I’ll just my chrome done in Mexico or overseas,” which is a cute idea, but you have to consider that the ban on chrome plating in California will set a precedent for other states to follow, and soon, the entire country. So what’s going to happen? Who knows? I’m sure a new technology will be invented to take the place of chrome, but until that day comes, I’d have to encourage you to stock up on your chrome parts before they become far too expensive to get done, because when it does happen it will happen in the blink of an eye – just like the prices for Impalas and Tri-Fives have skyrocketed in just the last few years leaving many wishing they never sold for what they thought was a “good profit.”