EXCLUSIVE chrome-plated cars and motorbikes can no longer be made in the European Union after the end of a seven-year period for manufacturers to find alternatives.
Importantly, anybody who bought a chrome-plated vehicle before 2024 has nothing to worry about as the legislation is not retrospective and applies to models being made from this year onwards.
The reason that new vehicles with chrome are now banned in countries like Spain is down to the environment.
Chrome-plating causes airborne pollution levels that are 500 times higher than fumes produced by a conventional diesel engine.
The European Commission has banned hexavalent chromium in new vehicles, which is the name given to the toxic form of metal chromium.
The decision was made back in 2017 with car and bike makers given time to find and use viable alternatives ahead of this year’s ban.
Inhaling particles of hexavalent chromium or fumes containing hexavalents can be highly harmful to those who handle the material.
Studies have shown that hexavalent chromium can cause cancer in people, especially lung and nose cancer, as well as liver damage and reproductive problems.
Chrome plating of cars- often applied as an anti-corrosion material against external agents- is also used for motorcycles, especially the Harley Davidson.
The intense silver shine is very characteristic of the bikes, and its use is also prohibited in new models.
