Lubricants Reduce Environmental Impact

Lubricants Reduce Environmental Impact Shell Lubricants' environmentally considerate lubricants offer a high level of biodegradability and low ecotoxicity, to help minimise their impact on the environment. Shell Lubricants has expanded the Shell Naturelle range as part of a focus on developing environmentally considerate lubricants (ECLs). Each of the products within the range demonstrates good technical performance, along with a high level of biodegradability and low ecotoxicity, to help minimise its impact on the environment. The range, which has been expanded from Shell Naturelle Hydraulic Fluids (the Shell Naturelle HF range), now includes chain (Shell Naturelle Chain Fluid SM) and gear (Shell Naturelle Gear Fluid EP) lubricants as well as an environmentally considerate grease (Shell Naturelle Grease EP ). Frederic Farshchi, Global Industrial Product Marketing Manager at Shell Lubricants said: "The use of ECLs is becoming more widespread, especially when operating in environmentally sensitive areas such as waterways, harbours, forests, mines and ski slopes.' The Shell Naturelle range can achieve the technical performance of conventional mineral oil based products, while retaining their high biodegradability and low ecotoxicity characteristics, allowing companies to get strong performance whilst meeting their environmental obligations'. All of the lubricants within the Shell Naturelle range have a high level of biodegradability, meaning that the product will be rapidly broken down by micro-organisms, and low ecotoxicity, helping to minimise the lubricant's impact on the environment in the event of a spillage. Each product has undergone thorough testing and has met or exceeded the rigorous internationally recognised standards set by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). These include the OECD 301B test which measures biodegradability by monitoring the conversion of the substance to carbon dioxide, and the OECB 201 - 203 tests, ensuring the lubricant is not harmful to aquatic organisms. Applications where the Shell Naturelle range will be of particular benefit include total loss applications such as chain saws, where up to three litres of lubricant can enter the environment each day, and hydraulic earthmoving equipment, where even an apparently small leak of one drop per second can result in a release of up to 200 litres of lubricant per month. Concludes Frederic Farshchi: While legislation is a key driver for companies switching to ECLs, the Shell Naturelle range means that organisations no longer have to sacrifice performance to meet these targets. The expansion of the Shell Naturelle range is the first part of a long-term commitment by Shell to developing lubricants which will help to tackle today's global environmental challenges.