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an important lever in avoiding and/or reducing carbon
dioxide,” Gosalia said.
Look for ways to offset unavoidable carbon emissions
through local, regional and even global compensation
measures. These typically involve the promotion of and
investment in eligible climate-protection projects in socially,
politically and economically disadvantaged areas.
Finally, focus on the carbon footprint of the products
themselves. “About 90% of the product carbon footprint
of a lubricant comes from the raw materials,” Gosalia said.
“Lube manufacturers should be asking: ‘Where do the raw
materials come from? How sustainable is my supplier? How
sustainable is their supply?’”
By stressing sustainability with suppliers, lubricant manufac-
turers can work to reduce the product carbon footprint both of
their lubricants and of the raw materials that go into them.
Leading the Way
In Fitch’s experience, such sustainability assessments hinge
on manufacturers being committed to sustainability, not on
consumer demand. “In general, I don’t think consumers are
clamoring for more sustainable products,” he said, noting
that price is a more prevalent concern. “It’s up to the manu-
facturers and distributors to explain the long-term value in
sustainable lubricants, which are premium products,” and
may not be a customer’s first choice due to cost.
“I don’t think the public is aware in the way they need
to be [regarding sustainability]. As an industry, we can
do a better job of educating the consumer to understand
everything that goes into producing an effective and safe
lubricant and how much is involved in recycling, reusing or
safely disposing of that lubricant,” Fitch added.
When it comes to the state of regulations and compliance
regarding sustainability, Fitch acknowledged the impact of
the Environmental Protection Agency on engine design and
fuel consumption, which has led to lower-viscosity oils with
lower polluting emissions. Yet he has seen little industrial
regulation directly tied to sustainability and the environ-
ment, with the exception of disposal regulations, which vary
from state to state and have no overarching federal standard.
In the absence of a federal vision, some in the industry
“Lube manufacturers should have taken proactive measures that focus on advances in
be asking: ‘Where do the raw lubricant reuse, recycling and reconditioning.
“For example,” Fitch said, “SKF RecondOil is marketed as
materials come from? How a service that offers the capability to continuously regenerate
sustainable is my supplier? How oil, restoring it to a healthy state.
“Some oil customers have machines holding, in some
sustainable is their supply?’” cases, tens of thousands of gallons of oil,” he explained. “The
Apu Gosalia, Independent Sustainability cost of changing that oil is enormous. And sometimes the
only deficiencies in that oil are that a particular additive
Expert and Partner, Fokus Zukunft has been consumed and contaminants need to be removed.
18 SEPTEMBER 2021 | COMPOUNDINGS | ILMA.ORG
