Requirements for lubricants

Biolubricants are products which, when applied, have a lower impact on the environment because they are of low risk to soil and aquatic life, (and cause less health risks). Preferably, they mainly consist of renewable materials.

Requirements on main features

Various ecolabels have different definitions and exact descriptions of the requirements which lubricants should meet. The criteria for environmental-friendliness are based on widely supported environmental standards and relate to (the components of) the lubricant:

• The aquatic (eco) toxicity (the toxicity of substances with regard to aquatic organisms)
• The biodegradability (of substances) and bioaccumulation (the accumulation of substances in the food chain)
• (In a number of cases) the renewability (the extent to which lubricant components are of organic origin)
  Within the current market supply, a distinction can be made between two classes of lubricants with different levels of eco-friendliness.