Lubricants and the environment

About 1% of the total mineral oil consumption is used to formulate lubricants. Everywhere the production, application, and disposal of lubricants has to cover the requirements of the best possible protection of our nature and the environment in general and of the living beings in special. Often health hazards do not follow the direct way to human beings, more often they follow indirect routes through our environment. For all cases of direct contact between lubricants on one side and human beings and the nature on the other side the compatability has to be checked. The gaining necessity for environmental compatability tests has to be understood by all those who are working in the fields of production, application, and disposal of lubricants. Simplified it can be stated that health hazards and water hazards have to be minimized. Using the three examples Coolants and Metal Working Lubricants, Engine Oils, and Fast Biodegradable Lubricants and Operational Fluids some of the most important aspects of the impairment of the environment will be discussed. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.