Testimonials
- U.S. Coast Guard Averts Environmental Clean up with Biobased Hydraulic Fluid Use
America’s farms are just beginning to tap their potential as a source for natural, renewable biobased products that offer benefits of worker health and environmental safety, and help ensure the nation’s economy and energy security. With soybean checkoff funding from the United Soybean Board, new biobased products enter the research and development stage every year. The U.S. Coast Guard’s Maintenance Department at the Group Air Station in Atlantic City, N.J., found first hand how reliable biobased products could be.
While removing snow from helicopter tarmacs, parking lots and sidewalks around Coast Guard facilities, James Smith, an employee of the Coast Guard Maintenance Department, witnessed a hydraulic hose on a tractor fray open and spill fluid on the snow drift. If using a petrochemical-based hydraulic fluid, the snow would have been hauled to a building to melt so the spill could be contained.
“Because it was a biobased fluid, all we had to do is fix the hose and keep on moving snow,” said Smith. “The spill simply melted away with the thaw and was safely absorbed into the environment.”
As year-round groundskeepers, the Coast Guard Maintenance Department relies on a variety of biobased products in a number of different tools, like mowers, trimmers, chain saws, air compressors, and even a 400 Hz, 4-cylinder diesel aircraft ground power unit. Products range from two-cycle engine oil, bar and chain oil, penetrating lubricant and 10W30 oil for the aircraft power unit.
“Our hazardous waste safety officer encourages us to find and use biobased products whenever we can, in an effort to comply with Executive Order 13101,” said Smith. “As I said, I’ve always been a believer in biobased products, but this example shows just how convenient and time saving they can be, too.”
- Mark Thomas uses Biobased Lubricants
5 Time IHRA World Champion Mark Thomas uses corn based transmission fliud, engine and gear oil in his Ethanol powered Funny Car.
- Snowmobile in the Park Bio-based Fuels Demonstration
The purpose of the Snowmobile in the Park project was to identify the effects of bio-based fuels and lubricants used in 2-stroke engines, and to field-demonstrate options for reducing pollution. In 1997, laboratory emissions tests were completed by DEQ at Southwest Research Institute in cooperation with the snowmobile manufacturers industry, the community of West Yellowstone, the National Park Service, and others. The draft technical report was distributed for review in September, 1997, and the residents of West Yellowstone used the results during the 1997/98 winter with 10 percent ethanol blend and low particulate lube oil. The project gained national, international (Germany, Sweden and Japan) and industrial recognition. The manufacturing and lube oil industries are investigating or promoting changes based on the work. The work has spawned a detailed research and demonstration program partly funded by the Pew Charitable Trusts to better define benefits, tradeoffs, risks, and options to reduce the impacts of winter transportation.
In Yellowstone National Park (NP), the Snowmobile in the Park project identified that ethanol blend reduced carbon monoxide emissions by 9 to 38 percent, unburned hydrocarbons by 16 percent, and particulate matter by 25 percent. Lubrication oils effected particulate emissions of snowmobiles. The a field demonstration using E-10, a blend of 10 percent ethanol with gasoline, and bio-based (biodegradable) lube oils in snowmobiles showed that these products increased energy efficiency, and reduces pollution and potential health problems. The Yellowstone NP staff has operated the Park’s fleet of 100 snowmobiles with E-10 and bio-based lube oil since 1997. The test persuaded the National Park Service (NPS) at Yellowstone NP to use E-10 year-round in all gasoline-powered vehicles.
Project findings caused West Yellowstone snowmobile and snowcoach rental agencies to voluntarily use E-10 and bio-based lube oils to reduce emissions and increase power. The fleet operators experienced a 60 percent reduction in required maintenance calls, avoided carburetor freezing, and had better power and fuel economy. Project results persuaded Outboard Motor Company to produce and supply a highly biodegradable lube oil for NPS to use in high-horsepower direct-injection marine engines on Yellowstone Lake. These engines are certified to meet EPA’s emission requirements for 2006. The bio-based lube oil improves fuel economy, reduces pollution, reduces the persistence of the emissions in the environment, and reduces cancer risk from emissions by 30%-60%.
