Biodegradability & Other Environmental Benefits

Biodegradability is defined as the ability of a substance to be digested or consumed by naturally occurring microorganisms present in water, air and soil systems. Complete biodegradability is the conversion of a substance to carbon dioxide and water.

There are several standard test methods used to measure biodegradability. The method generally accepted in Europe is the Organization of European Cooperative Development (OECD) 301A-F test. This test is accepted by product developers and consumers as a “measuring stick” to help the user understand a product’s environmental impact. ASTM D7373 is also gaining acceptance as evidenced by EPA’s inclusion into the 2013 VGP guidelines.

Acceptable or passing levels for these tests are as follows:

Biodegradability, % ASTM D7373 > 60%
Biodegradability, % in 28 days OECD 301A-F ≥ 60%

 

Beware of greenwashing! While many products claim to be biodegradable, the question of how quickly and easily they degrade is critical to how environmentally friendly they can be considered and how they are treated by law.

There are two widely used designations for biodegradability: Inherently biodegradable and readily biodegradable. Simply saying something is biodegradable still means it can persist in the environment for years, continuing to cause substantial damage, and often require long-term remediation—for example, petroleum-based products. Inherent biodegradation is defined as degrading > 20 percent to < 60 percent within 28 days. Readily biodegradable materials, on the other hand, degrade by 60 percent or more within 28 days or less. For those products on the quicker range of degradation, like those of RSC Bio Solutions, this means that major environmental damage can likely be avoided.

 

Inherently biodegradable is defined as > 20% but < 60% biodegradability as measured by OECD 301A-F testing. This characteristic is defined by the original composition of the product. Readily biodegradable is defined as the ability of a product to biodegrade quickly and completely (≥ 60% by OECD 301A-F/ASTM D7373 testing) within 28 days. Readily biodegradable products are environmentally preferable.

Biodegradable oil can be used in any equipment operating in sensitive environments. Biodegradable oils have been designed for equipment that can come in direct contact with air, soil, or water systems and pose limited risk to aquatic life because these products are minimally toxic and not bioaccumulative.

There are a wide range of performance levels among both readily biodegradable and petroleum-based lubricants. Operators have a wide array of options from less expensive, lower performance lubricants to high-end, high performing products. While care must be taken in choosing the appropriate product for the specific application, readily biodegradable products also fall into this range. It’s important to know that some readily biodegradable products provide higher performance results than petroleum-based ones. The unique formulas developed by RSC Bio Solutions’ chemists and engineers are designed to meet or exceed the performance attributes of any product on the market in terms of operating under a wide range of extreme temperature conditions, in high pressure applications, with long wear and fluid life and offering anticorrosive properties.

As categorized by ISO 6743, there are four types of biodegradable fluids:

  • Hydraulic Environmental Triglycerides (HETG)
  • Hydraulic Environmental Polyalkylene Glycols (HEPG)
  • Hydraulic Environmental Synthetic Esters (HEES)
  • Hydraulic Environmental PAO (Polyalphaolefins) and other Synthetic Hydrocarbon Products (HEPR)

No, the products need temperature, microbes and water to biodegrade.

RSC Bio Solutions’ lubricants have been approved by many OEMs for use in their equipment and either meet or exceed all OEM requirements. These lubricants perform as well as or better than petroleum-based products, which can play a major role in extending the life of equipment. Many OEMs are now approving use of and offering factory-filling of their equipment with RSC Bio Solutions’ readily biodegradable products.

 

The most critical consideration is that not all readily biodegradable products are the same.  Be sure to select a vendor whose products are created through solid research, backed by guarantees and proven through extensive testing, field validation and 30+ years of experience in marine, offshore and industrial applications.

Reporting requirements vary based on use location and regulations. You should always report a spill and also notify the regulating entity (if required by law to do so) that it is a non-hazardous product spill  and provide them with the safety data sheets if necessary.  Cleanup costs and fine response could be much less severe as compared to spilling a hazardous product.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), roughly 706 million gallons of petroleum are released into the ocean each year. Many believe that the bulk of this is caused by major catastrophic oil spills. However, the facts demonstrate that small spills or minor leaks add up significantly over time. In reality, a 2010 study estimated that between 10 and 16 million gallons of these spills are caused by poor maintenance practices or regular leaks and spills. This means that those companies who aim to be more environmentally responsible will need to evaluate the full range of their equipment, maintenance processes and product use to make more sustainable choices.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), roughly 706 million gallons of petroleum are released into the ocean each year. Many believe that the bulk of this is caused by major catastrophic oil spills. However, the facts demonstrate that small spills or minor leaks add up significantly over time. In reality, a 2010 study estimated that between 10 and 16 million gallons of these spills are caused by poor maintenance practices or regular leaks and spills. This means that those companies who wish to be more environmentally responsible must take a look at the full range of their equipment, maintenance processes and product used to make more sustainable choices.

For example, work truck fleets that are promoting CNG can also add truck body decals to promote use of EnviroLogic fluids. Many companies and cities have generated press releases and shared the news on local and national levels. When a spill occurs that could be potentially hazardous, use of readily biodegradable fluid mitigates a potentially negative event.

EPA 2013 Vessel General Permit (VGP)

While leaks play a major role in water pollution, unplanned discharges are also a serious problem. Under the EPA’s 2013 Vessel General Permit (VGP), all ships larger than 79 feet must use Environmentally Acceptable Lubricants in oil-to-sea interfaces when in the three Nautical Mile limit and in the Great Lakes unless technically infeasible. These regulations include vessel discharges such as oil, waste, water, and runoff. The permit also requires any above water line hull cleaning or deck wash downs resulting in discharge to be conducted with ‘minimally toxic, phosphate-free and biodegradable’ cleaners and detergents.

The 2013 VGP remains in effect until the 2018 Vessel Incident Discharge Act takes its place likely in the 2022-23 timeframe.

 

Environmentally Acceptable Lubricants are defined by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as lubricants that minimize their likely adverse consequences in the aquatic environment, compared to conventional lubricants and have also been demonstrated to meet standards for these three key characteristics per the EPA 2013 VGP Appendix A:

  • Biodegradable – biodegrading into carbon dioxide and water by ≥ 60% or more within 28 days (according to OECD 301A-F or ASTM D7373 methods)
  • Minimally toxic – causing only a light impact on the aquatic environment (LC50> 100mg/L for lubricants and LC50>1000mg/L)
  • Not bioaccumulative – must have a low propensity to bioaccumulate in organisms

The EPA recognizes four types of EALs:

  • Hydraulic Environmental Triglycerides (HETG)
  • Hydraulic Environmental Polyalkylene Glycols (HEPG)
  • Hydraulic Environmental Synthetic Esters (HEES)
  • Hydraulic Environmental PAO (Polyalphaolefins) and other Synthetic Hydrocarbon Products (HEPR)

If a product meets the above criteria, it is approved by the EPA and self-certified as VGP 2013 compliant. The EPA does not certify or recommend EALs.

 

Barges, cargo ships, container ships, commercial fishing vessels, cruise ships, emergency response vessels, mobile offshore drilling units, oil tankers, petroleum tankers, ROVs and more are regulated by the 2013 VGP.

If a product meets the following criteria, it is considered technically feasible:
One or more OEM has approved EALs for use

  • EALs are available for pre-lubricated products
  • EALs are available in Vessel’s ports of call
  • Next dry dock has occurred

Selection Performance of FUTERRA™ Lubricants

FUTERRA is a Hydraulic Environmental PAO (Polyalphaolefins) and other Synthetic Hydrocarbon Products (HEPR) type environmentally acceptable lubricant and the first hydrocarbon-based renewable Environmentally Acceptable Lubricant (EAL) derived from a plant-based material.   We continue to offer the broadest product line of hydraulic fluids, gear oils, and greases based on HEPR-type base oils.

FUTERRA was developed to address industry demand for enhanced sustainability combined with renewability and superior performance in critical areas such as hydrolytic stability, system compatibility and equipment uptime.

 

As an Ecolabel-certified environmentally acceptable lubricant made from a renewable source, FUTERRA not only meets all current global environmental regulations, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Vessel General Permit (VGP), but ensures compliance for years to come.  That’s why we call it the Fluid of the Future.

According to the European Commission, the EU Ecolabel helps to identify products and services that have a reduced environmental impact throughout their life cycle, from the extraction of raw material through to production, use and disposal. Recognized throughout Europe, EU Ecolabel is a voluntary label promoting trusted environmental excellence.

FUTERRA allows for easy conversion and compatibility.  FUTERRA is miscible with legacy fluids – except for HEPG products – allowing for easy conversion and can be used as a drop-in replacement for other EALs and mineral oil-based lubricants. While some EALs are incompatible with certain types of seals, FUTERRA has very broad seal compatibility, even with traditional seals like NBR, allowing operators to use the seal that is the best choice for their specific needs. Please refer to OEM recommendations for seal type to be used with EALs.

FUTERRA increases system uptime – like mineral oil, FUTERRA is demulsifying – separating and allowing for the effective removal of water from the fluid and system. Because it is chemically formulated to resist breakdown and to have near zero foam tendency, operators are likely to choose this fluid to extend the time interval between dry docks over other EALs and to increase pump life. With FUTERRA, operators are able to increase the effectiveness of the lubricant, extend service life of the equipment, reduce the need for change-outs and minimize fear of fluid failure.

 

FUTERRA increases operator flexibility – By meeting the highest global environmental standards, we’ve eliminated a large degree of complexity.  Operators often need to switch equipment or change out products based on where vessels are positioned.  RSC Bio Solutions offers greater flexibility in terms of route changes and equipment because with FUTERRA, you can go anywhere.

FUTERRA is suitable for use as a lubricant anywhere conventional oil is used but is intended primarily as a marine VGP-compliant fluid for use in a wide variety of equipment applications.

RSC Bio Solutions conducted its own extensive testing on the product prior to launch and FUTERRA has been in the field for 5 years with no reported failures and oil monitoring results to substantiate both performance and stability.

It is important to evaluate the total cost of ownership of your lubricant choice. Given FUTERRA’s performance, sustainability benefits, its ability to extend equipment service life and increase uptime, we believe it offers the lowest total cost of ownership of any product on the market.

FUTERRA’s excellent oxidative and hydrolytic stability and near zero foaming tendency, ensure that the fluid will last much longer than other EALs and conventional oils.  Our testing shows that FUTERRA has oxidative stability* of 3 to 4 times longer than other EALs, thus resisting breakdown and extending the life of the fluid (*per RPVOT ASTM D-2270). Extending oxidation stability allows operators to significantly increase the time interval between change-outs. FUTERRA offers the only 10-year warranty for stern tube applications (restrictions apply).

With FUTERRA, conversion couldn’t be simpler. FUTERRA offers greater flexibility and the ultimate system compatibility, allowing for easy drop-in replacement for mineral oil-based lubricants. And, while many EALs are incompatible with certain types of seals, FUTERRA has very broad seal compatibility, even with most traditional seals like NBR 2 (34% ACN), allowing operators to use the seal that is the best choice for their specific needs.  Please refer to OEM recommendation for seal type to be used with EALs.

Drop-in replacement means the ability to replace one fluid with another without any configuration changes, equipment upgrades or negative impacts.

Yes, RSC Bio Solutions stands behind our products. In fact, FUTERRA is backed by a limited 10-year warranty for stern tube applications that surpasses anything in the market today.

Selection Performance of EnviroLogic® Lubricants

EnviroLogic is approved by many original equipment and subcomponent pump manufacturers, and we continue to partner with specific OEMs to add others as customers request. For more information regarding approvals, contact your OEM directly or ask your RSC Bio Solutions representative.

Our customers tell us that using EnviroLogic lubricants have the following benefits:

  • Little, if any, protective equipment needed
  • Lower shipping, handling and containment costs
  • Potentially lower cleanup costs
  • Lower regulatory costs and reduced risk of fines
  • Potentially longer changeover intervals

An EnviroLogic product cost relative to petroleum oils will depend greatly on petroleum oil utilized.

 

 

EnviroLogic is approved by many original equipment and subcomponent pump manufacturers, and we continue to partner with specific OEMs to add others as customers request. For more information regarding approvals, contact your OEM directly or ask your RSC Bio Solutions representative.

EnviroLogic readily biodegradable products have been thoroughly evaluated both in performance testing and in the field. The products meet or exceed the performance requirements of most major equipment manufacturers. EnviroLogic products meet all relative API, ASTM, and other industry standards.

RSC Bio Solutions stands behind its products and will underwrite any proven lubricant-related field failure, not warranted by the equipment manufacturer, caused from the use of these products and substantiated by records documenting the proper use of the fluids.

It is required for this General Product Warranty that any fluid that has prior service use in the field must have been utilized and handled according to equipment manufacturer requirements and standard lubrication practices. This would include the availability of appropriate maintenance records. RSC Bio Solutions warrants only EnviroLogic fluid performance. This product warranty will apply to all EnviroLogic products that are commercially available.

The shelf life for EnviroLogic products is dependent on fluid type and storage conditions.  Please contact RSC Bio Solutions for further information.

Our products are formulated to have good demulsibility characteristics (splitting of water). If water is determined to be above 1000 pm, measures should be taken (as with any hydraulic fluid) to remove the water to prevent interaction with additives and base fluids.

Yes, they are compatible with NBR 2 (34% ACN), HNBR (hydrogenated Buna), AU (Polyurethane) and FKM (Viton).

EnviroLogic oils usually last as long or longer than comparable petroleum-based fluids. It will depend on the specific oil, operating system temperature and pressure.

Key fluid performance indicators measured in oil sampling and analysis include:

  • Stay-in-grade kinematic viscosity @ 40°C
  • TAN increase
  • Water contamination
  • Additive/wear elements
  • Particle counts

 

 

Always follow the original equipment manufacturer’s suggested oil change frequency requirements or conduct regular oil sampling and analysis to determine exactly when oil needs to be changed. RSC Bio Solutions works closely with customers and offers an oil analysis programs. Please contact your sales representative to learn more.

The drain and fill procedure to convert to EnviroLogic products is as simple as the cleaning and maintenance procedure you currently use for scheduled care of your equipment.

A residual amount of petroleum oil will remain in the sump of the equipment. This will have no effect on the performance of the EnviroLogic fluid.

For further detailed equipment flushing procedures, please contact us at (704) 684-6100 for EnviroLogic Changeover Procedure.

Note:  EnviroLogic products are not compatible with HEPG products and should not be mixed.  Complete draining and cleaning of any HEPG product should be conducted prior to filling with the appropriate EnviroLogic product.

The following information is used to determine the best biodegradable fluid:

  • Name and viscosity grade of current fluid used in the hydraulic system
  • OEM hydraulic fluid specification or recommendations
  • System operating temperature and pressure
  • System application specifics

Please refer to our product data sheets for best match or call our technical specialists for recommendation at +1 (704) 684-6100.

 

Yes, EnviroLogic and petroleum-based fluids can be mixed together. When mixing fluids in a hydraulic power system, environmental benefits of EnviroLogic are reduced in relative proportion to the amount of petroleum-based oil. We recommend draining the system of petroleum oil, flushing with appropriate EnviroLogic product and then refilling the system with recommended EnviroLogic product for maximization of environmental benefits.

EnviroLogic lubricants can be mixed and disposed of in the same waste oil drum as petroleum-based fluids.

We also offer reservoir and equipment decals to help minimize the risk of accidental system contamination.

Based on extensive field use, testing by OEMs and independent laboratories, we can state that our fluids perform equally or superior to their petroleum-based counterparts.

The performance benefits EnviroLogic products offer include:

  • Reduced environmental impact (Readily Biodegradable, Minimally Toxic and not Bioaccumulative)
  • Equal or better lubricating performance relative to petro-chemical based fluids
  • Equal or longer fluid change out intervals compared to incumbent petrochemical based fluids
  • Hydraulic component wear protection
  • Lower overall total cost of ownership