The American Petroleum Institute (API) published API Technical Report (TR) 1533, Life cycle assessment of lubricants and carbon footprint: methodology and best practices, which says it defines terminology and identifies industry-specific practices for life cycle assessment of lubricants and specialty products. The aim is to promote harmonization and consistency in the application of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Carbon Product Footprint (CFP) in the lubricants industry. This publication will help improve customer confidence in product benefit claims related to sustainability, according to API.
“As sustainability has become a global focus in all industries, there is a need for the lubricants industry to have a clearly defined, consensus-based document that captures widely accepted terminology and methodology for analysis of the life cycle of lubricant products”, API Senior Program Manager. , said Jeffrey Harmening of the Engine Oil Licensing and Certification System (EOLCS). “Lubricant customers are increasingly asking lubricant vendors for sustainability metrics; The development of guidelines for the calculation of metrics became a critical area for API to focus on as the industry seeks to reduce and assess greenhouse gas emissions.”
API TR 1533 addresses the need for clear and accepted guidelines and terminology that instill confidence in reported metrics from oil marketers who will be better equipped to justify their own sustainability data and reporting, according to API. This lubricant-focused methodology will not only provide guidance to lubricant producers, but also give their customers additional confidence in the data they receive.
The report will also help move towards harmonized practices and reduce individual requirements in global markets. It is available to everyone for free on the API website.
Development of API TR 1533
Life cycle assessment (LCA) and product carbon footprints (CFP) are established methodologies used to quantify the environmental performance of products, processes or services, and are increasingly used as a basis for to environmental decision-making along the supply chain, API. explain. The LCA includes multiple impact categories, while the CFP focuses specifically on the “climate change” impact category, which is associated with greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions/removals.
API TR 1533 General Principles
API TR 1533 defines the six stages of the lubricant life cycle that provide the industry with specific parameters for evaluation:
· Raw materials
· Production
· Packaging
· Logistics
· In use
· End of life
