For more than 20 years, our Restricted Substance Management Standard has spelled out materials to be avoided or eliminated in Ford operations and the parts and materials provided by suppliers. This and other tools are helping us meet and exceed customer expectations and ensure compliance with regulations.
For example, Ford of Europe vehicles were the first vehicles worldwide to be awarded an "allergy-tested interior" certification. Respective certificates have been given by the German TÜV Rheinland organization, the independent industry body controlling and approving quality standards of industrial and consumer products. The award recognizes that the vehicles' interiors consist exclusively of materials that reduce the risk to allergy sufferers to the lowest possible level. Five models have been certified: the Ka, the European Focus (including the Focus Coupé-Cabriolet), the S-MAX, the Galaxy and, most recently, the new Mondeo. Ford aims to get as many as possible existing and future cars certified according to the TÜV criteria. With this initiative, Ford offers its customers products that address the growing societal concern about allergies.
Ford has decreased the use of mercury-containing components, which can pose problems at the end of a vehicle's life. In 2001, we eliminated mercury-containing switches, which accounted for more than 99 percent of the mercury used in our U.S. vehicles. Since that time, we have continued to focus on mercury reduction by working to eliminate mercury in the remaining mercury-containing components, including high-intensity discharge headlamps and flat-panel displays. The 2007 Lincoln Navigator was recently launched with mercury-free high-intensity discharge headlamps. In addition, we have helped to forge a cooperative industry approach to recycle mercury switches from end-of-life vehicles.
Hexavalent chromium – "hex chrome" for short – is a corrosion coating (used, for example, on nuts, bolts and brackets in cars and trucks) that the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration lists as a potential lung carcinogen. We are not waiting for global regulations banning the use of hex chrome to take effect – we are phasing out its use worldwide. Replacement coatings have been thoroughly tested to ensure that they meet Ford's performance requirements.
In North America, Ford is presently transitioning from lead to steel wheel weights on light-duty vehicles. Two vehicle assembly plants have been largely converted to steel weights, and plans are underway to change over the remainder of our plants. Ford of Europe phased out the use of lead wheel weights in new and serviced vehicles in mid-2005.
