What is BS EN 16807 - Criteria and requirements of bio-lubricants and bio-based lubricants about?
BS EN 16807 specifies the term bio-lubricant and minimum requirements for all kinds of lubricants and bio-based lubricants, while e.g. the EEL [4] refers to specific bio-lubricant families.
BS EN 16807 also briefly describes relevant test method needs with respect to the characterization of bio-lubricants. It presents recommendations for related standards in the field of biodegradability, product functionality, and the amount of different renewable raw materials and/or different bio-based contents used during manufacturing of such bio-lubricants forming one product group.
Note: Not all potential risks for the environment can be addressed by this standard.
Who is BS EN 16807 - Criteria and requirements of bio-lubricants and bio-based lubricants for?
BS EN 16807 on criteria and requirements of bio-lubricants and bio-based lubricants is useful for:
- Petroleum industry
- Producers of bio-lubricants
- Testing houses and laboratories
- Risk assessment agencies
- Environment protection agencies
Why should you use BS EN 16807 - Criteria and requirements of bio-lubricants and bio-based lubricants?
Lubricants are important materials which contribute significantly to the efficient use of resources: thanks to the tailor-made properties they reduce energy losses and wear in machines and aggregates. The global manufacture of lubricants in all applications only uses a small part of the entire consumed mineral oil: in Europe, it makes up only about 1 %. The major fraction (>80 %) of the residual fossil material is used for energy production, predominantly for transportation and heating purposes. Besides crude oil, biomass is an additional raw material source for lubricants.
The currently available biomass is consumed in different segments: food and feed production, power and heat generation, biofuel production and industrial applications (e.g. production of paper, fine chemicals). Due to the limited capacity of ecosystems, the utilization efficiency of biomass and availability issues have to be addressed across the whole bio-economy landscape. The eco-efficiency in this competitive use (e.g. energetic use vs. manufacture of goods) should always be in focus.
BS EN 16807 helps ensure responsible and environmentally conscious use of natural (fossil and renewable) resources, a clear and unambiguous terminology is of particular importance.
Finally, BS EN 16807 intends to enhance the reputation of “bio-lubricants” and the confidence of the customer in this product group by providing guidance on test methods for bio-lubricants.
The criteria and requirements for “bio-lubricants” published in BS EN 16807 are useful as horizontal requirements for all kinds of bio-based lubricants, and should be seen as minimum requirements compared to the European Ecolabel for Lubricants (EEL) [4].
The aim of BS EN 16807 is prevention of the dissemination of confusing, ambiguous or misleading information, in order not to jeopardize the success of such schemes as well as the credibility of industry itself.
