Environmental Labelling in Germany Award Criteria for Hydraulic Fluids

A precautionary environmental policy must be centred at avoiding the use of chemicals hazardous to the environment, wherever this is possible. Environmental labels awarded to products according to transparent and objective criteria have proved to be suitable instruments to provide manufacturers and producers with information on products causing less strain on the environment than comparable products, and subsequently to increase the market share of these products. Hydraulic fluids on the basis of mineral oils may lead to environmental damages caused by leakages and accidents. However, products are already used that show a more environment-compatible profile. In Germany, award criteria for the environmental label “Blue Angel” are presently created which are geared towards the state-of-the-art technology and represent a new ecologically oriented standard for hydraulic fluids.