The biodegradability of a product is measured by the length of time its ingredients take to break down into natural elements after use. The quicker the ingredients break down, the higher the rate of biodegradability and the less impact the product will have on the environment. It’s important to know that lubricants only biodegrade when they come into contact with specific microorganisms. They remain stable when in use and only begin to biodegrade once they have done their job. This means they can continue to perform for many months and will only begin to biodegrade once they have done their job.

The biodegradability of a product is best measured through the internationally accepted OECD 301 (A-F) testing standards. These tests (A-F) are all slightly different and the percentage pass rates for each test vary, but the basic premise is the same for them all and leads to different biodegradability grades:

• Readily biodegradable: A mixture that degrades ≥60% inside 28 days*
• Inherently biodegradable: A mixture that degrades 20%-60% inside 28 days
• Non-biodegradable: A mixture that degrades ≤20% inside 28 days

*Some test variations require ≥70% degradation to be classed as readily biodegradable, however these methods are not commonly used for greases and lubricants.

At RS Clare, our approach is always to deliver the best product in terms of performance – whether it’s within Ecolabel requirements or not. In fact, many of our Ecolabel products are so good that some of our customers choose them based on their performance only, without realising they meet the highest eco-standards on the market.

If you want a product with an Ecolabel formulation, get in touch with us and we’ll see what we can do.