BASF, a chemical company, announced that it will terminate the production of lead chromate pigments by the year end of 2014 and will focus on production and distribution of alternative products globally.
The alternatives to lead chromate pigments are offered in a series of yellow and red colors and the range include pigments that are distributed in various brand names. The brands are Irgazin, Cinquasia, Irgalite, Cromophtal, Paliogen, Paliotol, T-Shade, Paliotan, Sicotan and Sicopal. The company manufactures lead chromate pigments at its facility in Besigheim, Germany, which is the location from where the alternative products will be slowly expanded.
Head of the business management at BASF’s pigments division in Europe, Stefan Sütterlin, stated that for the last few years the company has been acquiring a wide group of organic and inorganic pigment products as replacements to lead chromate pigments. But, a 100% change has not taken place. Head of marketing for BASF’s pigments for industrial & decorative coatings in Europe, Joachim Straßner, also added that they have planned to assist their clients to make the entire changeover.
Lead chromates are the oldest product portfolio of BASF and the products had high demand due to its benefits such as color, strength and weather resistance. But recently, the approval process specified under REACH, the European chemicals regulation regarding these substances has been initialized. So, the lead chromate pigments will not be distributed without the approval.
Source: http://www.basf.com/