In an effort to strengthen industry awareness and participation in nickel science and advocacy efforts, the Nickel Institute and ACC formed the Nickel Stakeholders Group (NSG).
The NSG, formed in December 2011, provides a forum to address emerging public policy issues and potential regulatory implications, including a forthcoming draft EPA Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) assessment on nickel soluble salts.
Participants in the NSG include numerous industries that rely on nickel compounds, including surface coatings, aerospace, stainless steel and automotive, among others. Periodic meetings of the NSG are held at ACC’s offices in Washington, D.C.
Benefits of Nickel
Nickel is a naturally occurring, lustrous, silvery-white metallic element. It is the fifth most common element on earth and occurs extensively in the earth's crust. However, most of the nickel is inaccessible in the core of the earth.
Nickel-containing materials play a major role in our everyday lives—food preparation equipment, mobile phones, medical equipment, transport, buildings, power generation—the list is almost endless. These materials are selected because—compared with others—they offer better corrosion resistance, toughness, strength at high and low temperatures, and a range of special magnetic and electronic properties.
About 65 percent of the nickel which is produced is used to manufacture stainless steels. Another 20 percent is used in other steel and non-ferrous alloys-often for highly specialized industrial, aerospace and military applications. About nine percent is used in plating and six percent in other uses, including coins, electronics, and in batteries for portable equipment and hybrid cars. In many of these applications there is no substitute for nickel without reducing performance or increasing cost.
To join the Nickel Stakeholders Group or for further information, please contact David Fischer at (202) 249-6717 or David_Fischer@americanchemistry.com.