FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

Questions about eco products

What is E.E.L. or Eco label?

E.E.L. stands for European Ecolabel Lubricants. These are lubricants awarded the Ecolabel meeting requirements for performance and showing limited toxicity, high biodegradability with low potential for bioaccumulation and containing a certain percentage of renewable sources. An important property of an Eco-label lubricant is its ....

Biodegradability - what does this mean?

This is the ability of a substance such a lubricant to be broken down by organisms such as bacteria that live in the ground and surface water in the event of a oil spill or leak. However, almost every substance is biodegradable to some extent. Therefore, a “green” product must be ....

Readily biodegradable

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has developed test guidelines for determining biodegradability: OECD 301. A substance that is ‘readily’ biodegradeable has successfully passed an OECD screening test, showing that more than 60% has biodegraded over a 28 days period when exposed to certain micro organisms.

What are CEC tests?

Another, rather outdated test method is referred to as “CEC”, and was originated by the Coordinating European Council many years ago. A substance will give different sets of results in OECD and CEC test. However, as a rule of thumb, a 60% biodegradability in an OECD test equates to approx. 90% in accordance with CEC.

What's the difference between readily, rapidly or inherently biodegradable?

“Readily biodegradable" is often confused with “inherently biodegradable” or “rapidly biodegradable” by vendors of products that are indeed not “readily biodegradable” (OECD). A substance that is inherently biodegradable is not as easily broken down as people are led to believe, because they are less than 60% biodegradable in 28 days, or 60% or more over a longer period.

Exactly how environmentally friendly are Interflon eco products?

All Interflon’s eco-friendly products have successfully passed OECD tests in independent laboratories, and are thus “readily biodegradable”. The set of results of the tests are declared in their respective MSDS’s.

Why would I choose Eco-label products?

They are better for men and the environment. Products such as Interflon Eco  Lube H46 that have been awarded the Eco-label have proven to reduce harm to water and soil during use, lead to reduced CO2 emissions and  to be safer to use for the workers as it originates mostly from renewable vegetable primairy produce.

Other products including Interflon's solvent degreaser Eco EM100+ also originate for almost 100% from renewable primairy produce. However, there is not a category for such products in the Eco-label system yet.

Bioaccumulation – how about Teflon®?

Bioaccumulation occurs when organisms absorb a substances such as an oil when spilled at a rate greater than that at which the substance is digested, even if levels of the toxin are very low. Mineral oils and most additives  used in mineral oil based lubricants “bioaccumulate”. Teflon®, for instance, does not bioaccumulate in that sense, because its particles are too big to enter into the cell structures of micro organisms.

Renewable primary produce

Material that has been produced during the last 100 years in plants or animals. Products such as Interflon Eco Lube H46 and Interflon Eco EM 100+  consists mostly of "renewable primary produce".

Are Eco products also “food grade”?

No. Eco products are safer for man and the envi-ronment and may be food grade at the same time, but not necessarily.

Are eco label products RoHS compliant

Yes, all Interflon products, including its eco products are RoHS compliant.