Blue Angel Ecolabel: Is Biobased Testing Required for Lubricants?
Germany’s Blue Angel Ecolabel is used as the country’s sustainable purchasing guide and sets stringent standards for environmentally friendly products and services ranging from household cleaning products to textiles and construction materials.
Through its ecolabel for biodegradable lubricants and hydraulic fluids, Blue Angel aims to enable buyers to choose products that consist primarily of renewable raw materials (vegetable or animal oils) and have a good biodegradability.
Biobased Content Testing Required for Lubricants
In the environmental label DE-UZ 178 “Biodegradable Lubricants and Hydraulic Fuels”, the term “bio” on the packaging may be used in accordance with the requirements of DIN CEN/TR 16227:2011-10 and DIN EN 16807. In this case, biobased carbon content for lubricants must be determined using ASTM D6866, DIN CEN/TS 16137 (DIN SPEC 91236), or CEN/TS 16640 testing standards. The ratio of biobased carbon content to the total carbon content of the lubricant must also be calculated and indicated on the packaging in increments of 5%.
For mineral oil-based lubricants and lubricants with a biomass content of less than 25% by mass in the final product, it is not permitted to use the advertising message “bio” and testing is not required.
To verify biobased carbon content of lubricants that meet the specified criteria, applicants should submit a test report on the final product in accordance with ASTM D6866 or DIN CEN/TS 16137 performed by an ISO 17025-accredited laboratory.
About the Blue Angel
The Blue Angel is an impartial and voluntary product label that is independent of business interests, as guaranteed by several agencies including Germany’s Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) – the owner of the label, the German Environment Agency, the Environmental Label Jury, and RAL gGmbH as an independent certification body.
References:
Blue Angel – Biodegradable Lubricants and Hydraulic Fluids (last accessed September 2023)
Beta Analytic is not affiliated with the Blue Angel or the Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety.
Miami-based ISO 17025-accredited Beta Analytic is an internationally recognized biobased carbon content testing facility that reports results in 7 days or less. Contact the lab to submit lubricants for biobased content testing.
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This entry was posted on Saturday, September 30th, 2023 and is filed under Biobased Products .