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To reduce the impact of liquid effluents released by its plants, Renault is phasing out the use of lead in its cataphoresis baths. 

Cataphoresis is used to apply a coat of anti-corrosion primer to vehicle bodies.

Renault started using lead-free formulas in its cataphoresis baths at Flins in 1994.

Following laboratory approval and industrial validation on the production line, the baths were changed on the Twingo (2000) and Clio lines (2001). Flins thus became the first site to comply with the new European regulations applied since July 2005. 

The program continued :

• 2002 : at Valladolid, Bursa and Douai
• 2003 : at Maubeuge and Palencia 
• 2004 : at Sandouville, Batilly, Santa Isabel, Moscow and Ayrton Senna 
• 2005 : at Novo Mesto, Medellin and Pitesti (excluding manufacture of spare parts). 

The main functions of lead have been entirely or partly replaced: 

• Corrosion protection is obtained by replacing lead with yttrium or bismuth, depending on the supplier, in much lower concentrations.
• The biocidal properties of lead prevented bacterial proliferation in the baths (a cause of body defects). This problem now calls for particular vigilance.
• Lead replacement in the cataphoresis baths has reduced the quantity of heavy metals released from plants.       

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