products including lubricant and hydraulic fluid, according to
Anthony Lancaster, fleet maintenance supervisor.
Bio-based hydraulic fluid is becoming increasingly popular
according to Case, because of the reduced cleanup costs in the
event of a spill. Soy-based hydraulic fluid, being a "natural"
product, is biodegradable, "and the cleanup effort is much less
intense than is usually the case with a spill of petroleum-based
hydraulic fluid," he said.
For truck maintenance employees working with parts cleaners,
the soy, biobased products are less toxic than petroleum-based
products, based on comparisons of their respective Material
Safety Data Sheets, which are used to gauge the degree of hazard
of a product, Case said.
Though the advantages vary depending on the product, parts
washing solvent is a good example. The soy, biobased equivalent
is not flammable, the volatile organic compounds being "signifi-
cantly less" than those in petroleum-based products, Case said,
noting that the bio-based versions also are more effective solvents
while simultaneously functioning as a good lubricant.
Truck maintenance is one of the most suitable applications for
biobased lubricants, said Lou Honary, chairman and president of
22 December 2014 | FUeL OIL NeWS | www.fueloilnews.com
BUSINESS OPERATIONS
Chris Case, a former facility manager for the National Park Service, now a representative for the United Soybean Board, coaches a fleet mechanic on biobased products.
Photo courtesy of United Soybean Board
The group of technical experts and
business professionals, representing 150
countries, develops voluntary consensus
standards, which are used internationally
to improve product quality.
