Environmentally acceptable lubricants (EALs) are defined as lubricants that meet U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards for “biodegradability, toxicity, and bioaccumulation potential that minimize their likely adverse consequences in the aquatic environment, compared to conventional lubricants.”

Restrictions from state, local, and federal agencies, as well as a growing awareness of the environmental risks associated with petroleumbased lubricants, have shifted government and industry to seek out high-performing EALs.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is working to reduce the environmental impacts of hydropower development and operation by investing in tools and methods to develop, demonstrate, and validate EAL materials.

To find out more, download the fact sheet: