Coating systems, designed to protect metallic components against corrosive attack using environmentally compatible materials and processes, were evaluated as potential alternatives for their higher polluting counterparts. Viable replacements were established for cyanide cadmium, cyanide copper, and hexavalent chromium electroplating. Alternatives to solvent-borne paints and phenolic-type paint strippers are available with slightly lower performance characteristics than their higher polluting counterparts. Performance characteristics were established for replacement systems of each type through comprehension testing. The performance, economic, and environmental aspects of the new coating systems were compared to those for a currently used control system.