Aerospace and Defense Industries Find Safer Alternatives to Hexavalent Chromium |
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David Pinsky of Raytheon Missiles and Defense and Greg Morose of TURI, both featured in this video, describe the progress made finding safer alternatives to hexavalent chromium in aerospace and defense applications. |
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Led by TURI Research Manager Greg Morose, the Aerospace and Defense Hexavalent Chromium Free Consortium is on the verge of finding safer alternatives to hexavalent chromium for conversion coatings, which is typically the base coating layer applied to bare aluminum. The consortium, including Boeing, Lockheed Martin, NASA and Raytheon, has been working together since 2012 and has found safer alternatives to hexavalent chromium for sealants and bond primers. If this current phase of research is successful, hexavalent chromium could be eliminated from the entire coating system.
Lockheed Martin in Texas has completed the bare aluminum corrosion, neutral salt spray and paint adhesion performance testing. NASA has started beachfront corrosion testing at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. TURI will conduct statistical analysis on the performance test results. A complete report of testing results and recommended safer alternatives is expected in the first quarter of 2021. View our website for details and published research reports. Contact Greg Morose for more information.
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Conversion coatings are applied to test panels at Poly-Metal Finishing in Springfield, Mass. |
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Primer and topcoat are applied to test panels at C.I.L. Metal Finishing in Lawrence, Mass. |
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Continuing Education Conference Day 2 Materials |
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Thank you to all who attended the second day of the TUR Continuing Education conference on November 5 and provided feedback on the content of the presentations and the online format. Find the webinar recordings and presentations for both conference dates on our website.
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Food and Beverage Pollution Prevention Course Offered for Free |
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Mount Wachusett Community College and TURI are offering the course "Lean Manufacturing and Pollution Prevention in the Food and Beverage Sector" beginning in March through June 2021.
The 64-hour virtual program will help food and beverage manufacturers identify, adopt and measure the results of pollution prevention as a result of changes in processes, equipment and human behavior.
Funded by an EPA Region 1 Healthy Communities grant, the course, which is valued at $3,000, will be offered free of charge. Preference will be given to 10 facilities (one person per facility) in the North Central and Merrimack Valley areas of Massachusetts. Others can be put on a waiting list if open seats are available. View class topics on our website.
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Comparing Athletic Playing Field Materials |
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Even when health and the environment are at the forefront of the decision-making process, it can be difficult to identify safer options for athletic playing fields. The Healthy Building Network recently hosted a webinar to introduce their newly developed Hazard Spectrum comparing the most common types of materials used on athletic fields.
Lindsey Pollard of TURI also presented information from case studies documenting maintenance practices, costs, and hours of use for organically managed natural grass athletic fields in Massachusetts.
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Recent & Upcoming TURA Program Meetings |
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TURA Program Strengthening Ad Hoc Committee
The Ad Hoc committee established by the TURA Administrative Council held an orientation meeting on November 19. The recorded orientation and slides are posted online for those members who were unable to attend.
The topic of the next meeting, which is scheduled for December 14, 9 to 11 a.m., is compliance and enforcement. Contact Tiffany Skogstrom for more information.
Science Advisory Board
On November 18, the SAB deliberated on a potential addition of selected quaternary ammonium compounds (DDACs and ADBACs) to the TURA chemical list. TURI Co-Director Dr. Michael Ellenbecker, who studies nano particle exposure, gave an overview presentation of the state of the science around carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and carbon nanofibers (CNFs), in preparation for SAB deliberations on a petition to list CNTs and CNFs. All meeting materials are posted on TURI’s website. Contact Heather Tenney for more details.
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Reminder: TURI staff are available via email, phone or Zoom to talk about TUR planning, training, research, grants, lab testing plans or other issues.
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