In mid-June 2008, Region 5 sampled the effluent of chromium electroplaters to determine whether perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) was released to wastewater treatment plants. Samples were taken from several Chicago and Cleveland facilities and tested for thirteen perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs), including PFOS.

Data confirmed that PFOS, along with other PFCs, were being discharged from chromium electroplaters at quantifiable levels. The report of the study is now available. Along with other data, R5’s study will be used by the USEPA's Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards in evaluating the use of PFOS in suppressing hexavalent chromium emissions at chromium electroplaters under air emissions standards for this industry.