Working Together for a Green Future for Grease: Saying No to Chlorinated Paraffins

Recently, Kunlun Lubricant attended the 23rd National Grease Technology Exchange Conference and the Third Session of the Eighth Plenary Meeting of Members of the Grease Professional Committee of the China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation (the Conference), and together with nearly 200 participating organizations issued an initiative to prohibit the use of chlorinated paraffins in grease.
With the theme Technological Innovation, Green and Low Carbon, the conference focused on frontier fields such as new material research and development, energy saving and cost reduction in industrial greases, green process innovation, exploration of artificial intelligence, prospects for robot development and wear of wind turbine gearbox bearings. Nearly 400 representatives from 199 universities and research institutes and domestic and international lubricant enterprises held in-depth exchanges on the latest theories, technologies, methods and applications in the grease industry. During the discussion session, Li Jianming, chief technical expert for grease at Kunlun Lubricant, held lively discussions with participants on lubrication-related topics in frontier fields such as the low-altitude economy, offshore wind power bearings and artificial intelligence.
The conference featured 14 specially invited keynote reports and received 56 academic papers and 41 presentation reports. Among them, papers submitted by three Kunlun Lubricant experts shared research perspectives on aspects including the influence on grease performance, lithium-based grease formulation optimization and quality control, and received high recognition and wide attention from participating experts and representatives.
At present, domestic and international lubricant brands have made many practical efforts in quantitative implementation plans for energy saving and carbon reduction and in the green transformation of the industry, and during the conference a Proposal on Prohibiting the Use of Chlorinated Paraffins in Grease was also put forward.
Chlorinated paraffins are a class of chemicals used in large quantities worldwide. Thanks to excellent isolation and insulation properties and low prices, they were once widely used in industrial production, but they possess high toxicity, bioaccumulation and long-range migration properties that pose major threats to the ecological environment and human health. For example, short-chain chlorinated paraffins entering the body can affect the immune and reproductive systems, while medium-chain chlorinated paraffins degrade slowly and can adversely affect the human liver, kidneys and thyroid.
Since January 1, 2024, China has formally implemented Annex A of the control list of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, prohibiting the production, sale, use and import of short-chain chlorinated paraffins. However, owing to their low price, a small number of grease manufacturers still illegally add chlorinated paraffins in order to cut costs, using the price advantage to seize market share, disrupt industry order and endanger the ecological environment and human health.
Grease is a solid or semi-solid lubricating product that can maintain its own shape without flowing at room temperature and at rest, and can adhere to metal without sliding off. Under load, the thickener in the grease releases oil, thereby providing lubrication. At present, China's annual grease output has accounted for more than 33 percent of the global total for many years, and the country has successfully built a complete industrial system, occupying an important position in the global grease industry. As the national team in the lubrication field, Kunlun Lubricant is a provider of lubricant products and service solutions integrating production, research and development, sales and service. Focusing on a low-carbon and environmentally friendly approach to sustainable development, it has accumulated deep strength in grease technology research and development. To date, Kunlun Lubricant has developed and produced six major categories of grease and 648 products in different packaging specifications, mainly used in industries such as iron and steel metallurgy, construction machinery, robotics, coal and cement, automobiles and bearings. In the future, Kunlun Lubricant will continue to deepen innovation, drive product upgrades, lead the sustainable development of the grease industry and contribute Chinese lubrication wisdom to the steady greening of the global grease industry.
Source: Sinochem News Network, CTTC Zhongfangbiao WeChat account