With well-over two-thirds of our sparkling blue planet covered in water (71% to be accurate), and one in every six jobs in America somehow connected to marine environments, there’s a complicated dance going on between the American economy and environmental protection.
On one hand, undersea mining, offshore petroleum exploration and drilling, shore-based construction, and water-based shipping and transportation are major industries that not only employ millions of individuals but are vast economic engines across the USA. On the other hand, our country is surrounded by ocean teeming with aquatic life, and there are plenty of news stories about the horrors of oil spills and the oceanic contamination that devastates shore lands, pollutes our waterways, and tragically kills wildlife.
It is estimated that every year, $322 million is spent on response & damage costs due to lubricant leaks, with 51 trillion gallons of water in danger of contamination by lubricants also every year. Is it any surprise then that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has begun imposing stricter regulations on the lubricants used in certain vessels and equipment that operate in U.S. waters?
The New Vessel General Permit of 2013 (VGP) requires the use of an environmentally acceptable lubricant (EAL) for all oil-to-sea interfaces on commercial vessels longer than 79 feet that operate within three nautical miles of the U.S. coastline and within the Great Lakes. While there are some limitations to the VGP, there are also hefty penalties involved for vessels that meet the standards but are not compliant.
Fortunately, Stevenson Oil is ahead of the curve and features Clarion® lubricants that are EAL-compliant.
According to the VGP 2013, all acceptable EALs must:
- Feature no dangerous components
- Be non-bioaccumulative
- Possess low toxicity to aquatic organisms
- Be readily biodegradable
- Pass technical performance characteristics appropriate for its use
Clarion® Green Synthetic Fluids and Clarion® Green Bio Oils available from Stevenson Oil can help our customers to meet and pass the requirements of the new VGP! These eco-friendly lubricants:
- Meet the 2013 VGP
- Are readily biodegradable formulations
- Possess zinc-free, ashless additives
- Are non-toxic to aquatic life
Clarion® green lubricants are designed and engineered for service in environmentally sensitive areas such as marine environments, and Stevenson carries them for our many customers. From fisheries and dock operations to drilling, dredging and the 209,000 boats and vessels affected by the new VGP, we have the EAL-compliant lubricants you need to keep your business afloat while helping to protect American waters from environmental pollution.
For the sake of your commerce, and for the safety of our beautiful waterways and oceans, join the growing fleet of EPA-compliant businesses using eco-friendly and environmentally acceptable lubricants available from Stevenson.
Learn more here about Clarion® environmental products.
Contact Stevenson today for more information or to get started with greener, cleaner lubricants for marine applications.
