Why Choose Environmentally Acceptable Lubricants (EALs)?
Given the recent high profile news coverage of spills and their long term effect on the environment companies are now realizing how this can severely affect their public image as well as their bottom line. In addition to improving your environmental reputation, the opportunity to reduce operating costs is just as important and makes PAG based environmental lubricants a wise choice due to their synthetic high performance specifications. This is especially important when working in environmentally sensitive areas, waterways, city corridors, high visibility areas, etc. The use of PAG lubricants is one way that equipment operators can achieve cost saving benefits through superior performance, whilst virtually eliminating the impact of lubricants that leak into the planet’s oceans and waterways.
Categorized by the US EPA and Environment Canada as the most favorable classification for environmentally acceptable lubricants (EALs), non-sheening polyalkylene glycol-based hydraulic and gear fluids are heavier than water, and water-soluble. The EPA’s 2013 Vessel General Permit (VGP) mandates that owners/ operators convert oil-to-sea interfaces (propulsion systems) from toxic petroleum oils to EALs. ACT’s Neptune line of AW and Gear lubricants provides value in being the only EAL to be truly non-sheening in the event of leaks.
Why choose Poly-Alkylene Glycol (PAG) Lubricants?
Our customers choose PAG lubricants because:
- No downtime due to spills – as it is classified as a non-toxic and non-hazardous chemical it is not considered an oil spill and does not have to be reported
- Our lubricants have the lowest environmental footprint
- There are virtually no clean-up costs
- They far exceed other EALs in performance and have much higher performance than conventional lubricants resulting in longer fluid life and less machinery downtime (reduced costs).
- They can provide evidence of continuous improvement for ISO 14001 and other environmental management programs
- They provide a means of enhancing corporate reputation and demonstrating Corporate Social Responsibility.
Their use has been regarded as a mitigating factor by enforcement authorities in some cases of accidental leakage, resulting in no or little penalties.