SUSTAINABILITY isn’t just something that happens at the macro level of business decision-making, it’s a key principle that companies need to apply across their organisations. For those in machine-intensive sectors, which can include everything from mining to port operations, manufacturing, construction and beyond, equipment lubrication is an important area to consider in terms of sustainability.
One of the key means of improving sustainability around equipment lubrication is by using the right products. Gavin Ford, national marketing manager at Lubrication Engineers (LE) South Africa, says this has multiple benefits. Higher quality lubricants extend the life of equipment, which reduces waste; they help it to run more efficiently, often resulting in reductions in power usage; they last longer, so overall consumption quantities are reduced; and importantly, the composition of the lubricants themselves are often more considered and have a lower direct environmental impact.
As an example, for applications on or near water, the Earthwise EAL Wire Rope Grease (3353) from LE’s Earthwise range is a certified environmentally acceptable lubricant that is biodegradable, has minimal aquatic toxicity, and will not accumulate in the bodies of fish and other aquatic life forms.
Cleaning solutions
Another important aspect of sustainability in lubrication is how to manage lubrication spills and associated cleaning requirements. Oil spills can cause significant environmental damage, kill microscopic organisms and harm entire food chains.
“We offer a really effective solution to help with oil spills, called Oil Spill Eater II (OSE II),” says Ford. Approved by the US Environmental Protection Agency and the UK Marine Management Organisation, OSE II has been used to clean up tens of thousands of spills since it was developed in the late 1980s. “It converts waste into a natural food source for bacteria found in aquatic environments. Because it does this by using a biological enzyme for the conversion, unlike other supposed bioremediation oil clean-up techniques, OSE II is not a bacterium, a fertilizer or dispersant product,” explains Ford.
“OSE II contains nutrients that attract indigenous bacteria. These then rapidly multiply, which speeds up the natural spill remediation process as the bacteria release enzymes and biosurfactants that attack the spill. The biosurfactants emulsify the spill, breaking it down to be used as a food source for the bacteria, with the end products being CO2 and water.”
OSE II is and extremely environmentally safe and cost-effective bioremediation process for the mitigation of hazardous waste, spills and contamination.
“Often, clients use OSE II in tandem with our Greentastic industrial cleaner, which is a powerful and water-based liquid concentrate cleaner,” says Ford. “Greentastic is also free from phosphates and phosphorous, making it a better choice for the environment.”
