Background Amongst the coating processes used in the decorative field, in particular in chromium-plating treatment in tap production, galvanising technology is the most widely used. This kind of technology is very polluting, both in the preparation phases and in the galvanising process itself. In particular the chromium-plating treatment is very dangerous for both workers and the environment: gaseous emissions (alkaline and acid vapours), liquid emissions (waste waters full of hexavalent Chromium and other pollutants) and solid wastes (pollutant sludge) are produced in large quantity during the process. In addition the process is inefficient, with waste water and sludge being produced in large quantities. The European galvanising industry is important, because it employs about 400,000 workers. The Italian galvanising sector consists of about 4000 SMES employing fewer than 40 workers each (in total some 160,000 workers). Objectives The project aims to replace the galvanising process with PVD (Physical Vapour Deposition) technology, which is much less polluting and much more efficient. The new technology consists of an “ion plating” process: in a high vacuum chamber, an electric arc, assisted by a magnetic field, transforms a coating material (Titanium, Chromium, etc.) into a “plasma” – that means into an ion vapour – and the vaporised material is spread onto the surfaces to be coated through a “bombing” process. The ion plating process is preceded by cleaning-drying of the surfaces to be coated. This cleaning process is based on a recyclable cleaning liquid; the liquid is recycled by a resin, which is the only waste after its exhaustion. The drying process is based on a thermal vacuum process, which generates no waste. The project is aimed at providing the sector’s SMEs with an alternative economically viable and clean technology in place of the current galvanising chromium-plating treatment. The technology replacement can provide environmental and economic advantages, such as: sensible reduction of chromium content in waste waters, toxic solid waste (sludge) and gas emissions; sensible reduction of dangerous raw material (chromium anhydride); sensible reduction in energy consumption and water use; better quality of the coating compared to the galvanised one. If these objectives are achieved, the sector’s SMEs will have many market opportunities. Results The technical-economic feasibility of the application of the PVD process to tap decoration has been successfully demonstrated. In particular, the technical advantages obtained are: - improving the technical characteristics of the coating in comparison with the galvanising process; in particular the hardness, the resistance to usage and the longevity of the tap components have been strongly increased (the longevity by 300-400 percent) - three decorative coating colours (gold, grey and anthracite) present similar characteristics to the output of galvanising processes in terms of aesthetic effect, brilliance, etc. - decrease in raw material consumption by about 80 percent The environmental advantages are: - significant reduction in emissions (air, water, solid). In particular: - a reduction by 40 percent of basic wastes - a reduction by 100 percent of chromium wastes - as a result, a reduction by more than 50 percent of the total liquids used - reduction of the raw materials: CrO3 by 100 percent, HCl by 30 percent, H2SO4 by 90 percent - reduction by 50 percent of vessel volumes - the reduction of emissions involves a reduction of the environmental costs by 3-4 percent of the total production costs. - elimination of the use of Chromium as a result of the use of other raw materials, whilst obtaining the same aesthetic effect. Some problems remain: - it is necessary to find other raw materials to obtain other colours comparable to those of the galvanising process - the costs of the PVD process are higher than those of the galvanising process, though not dramatically. In particular the coating costs are higher by 30-50 percent; it is necessary to move to a continuous process in order to offset the coating costs. Then it will possible to sell the PVD treated tap components at a higher price in order to recover the higher costs, in consideration of the better quality of the product. The demonstrated processes can result in remarkable environmental improvement throughout the production loop amongst businesses in the sector. In fact many firms asked to test their own tap components in the demonstration plant, in order to check the efficacy of the process. In addition, it is not unlikely that, in a few years (after the industrial improvement of the process), new regulation at both EU and national levels may come into force with measures to encourage the adoption of the new environmental friendly process and to discourage the use of the old one. The innovation level in the project is not very significant in absolute terms (the PVD process has been known for decades), but it is strongly innovative in relation to the decorative sector and can be extended also to other sectors, such as jewellery, spectacles, tools, etc. The process is likely to be highly reproducible in many other situations. The partner Paini has started commercial production of the tap components using the new technology. The socio-economic effects are linked mainly to the environmental impacts, which are greatly reduced compared to the galvanising process. Further future development of a continuous decoration process based on PVD technology can give to all the companies operating in the sector the opportunity to use the new technology. Companies in the sector have demonstrated a high level of interest in the new technology. The project will continue in the future. The beneficiary intends to improve the process by designing a continuous process in order to significantly reduce costs. This project has been selected as one of the 21 "Best" LIFE Environment projects in 2005-2006