Citation
Taylor, J. (2000), "Lubricant packaging and the environment", Industrial Lubrication and Tribology, Vol. 52 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/ilt.2000.01852aaa.003
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2000, MCB UP Limited
Lubricant packaging and the environment
Lubricant packaging and the environment
An interesting trend in the lubricant marketplace in Europe is the apparently continued move towards the use of plastic packaging in place of steel or tin plate.
Presumably this is on cost grounds. However, what is the long-term effect on the environment? Steel ultimately rusts away but what about plastic? What is going to happen to all this waste packaging? What is the overall energy cost of steel versus plastic? The changes in European legislation concerning waste disposal that have had such a major impact on costs should be provoking new ideas on lubricant packaging.
All we seem to see are short-term developments leading to long-term problems for others to solve. Perhaps major industrial users should insist that their lubricant supplier removes empty containers as part of the supply contract. This might at least cause some thought on the future of lubricant packaging. This journal will welcome comments on this subject because it does seem that those involved in the development of "friendly" and re-cycleable lubricants are making progress and the "unfriendly" part is now the packaging!