Tecnoseal chose the monk seal as a symbol of its commitment to the environment as this marine mammal is an endangered species and less than 500 still survive in the wild. They are regularly sighted near the island of Montecristo in the Tuscan archipelago close to Grosseto, where the Tecnoseal factory is located. For decades, the international community has introducedlegislation to protect the flora and fauna of the marine environment from dangerous substances.

Toxic and pollutant metals such as mercury and lead once present in many marine products have gradually been replaced with less harmful substances. In recent years, many countries who care about the ecosystem of their seas, have introduced measures for the elimination of another heavy and toxic metal: Cadmium.

Cadmium is used in various ways in the steel industry and is present in many materials in common use but has many associated health risks. Among the organisms that absorb large amounts of dissolved Cadmium in the sea, are molluscs, such as mussels, clams and oysters and other fish such as tuna and cod.

Since they form part of the food chain the toxicity of the heavy metals they carry may contribute to human health issues. These include hyperactivity of the nervous system, headaches, behavioural disorders, hypertension, osteoporosis and dental fragility. Among them we recall the health damage caused by cadmium to a population living near a Japanese mining area in the 20th century from which the Itai-itai syndrome takes its name.

Only used in anodic alloys to increase the electrochemical efficiency, it is present in the production of zinc alloy sacrificial anodes corresponding to U.S. MIL alloy 18001-K, established at international level for Cathodic protection. Having always been a company sensitive to environmental issues, Tecnoseal is experiencing success with its Cadmium-free alloy products, Aluminum and Magnesium anodes, in response to customer demand for a product less toxic and harmful to the marine environment. Products without cadmium will have a special packaging marked with a stamp depicting a Monk seal and the words Cadmium-free/ Eco-friendly Anode.