Lubezine Volume 8 * NOVEMBER 2013 - JANUARY 2014 | Page 12

MARKET

FEATURE

PRODUCT QUALITY

“Mitumba” lubricants, an
environmental catastrophy

T

here has been a
marked increase
in lubricants
manufactured from
recycled base oils
in the East African
market. The lubricants
are imported either as
finished lubricants
or base oil which are
By Mohamed
then blended locally
Baraka
to produce harmful
Mohamed Baraka
lubricants. Most of
holds a Bsc. degree
these base oils and
in Chemistry and
lubricants originate
Mathematics from
from the United Arab
Nairobi University.
Emirates. The lubriHe is the Managing
cants manufactured
Director of Synergy
from recycled base oil
Lubricants
are 20 to 30% cheaper
Solutions and has
than products manuworked in the oil
factured from virgin
industry since
base oils but they
1975. mbaraka@
promise to be an envislusollubes.com.
ronmental time bomb.
Base oils are the major component in a
finished lubricant consisting between 80 and
99% of the finished product. The balance is
chemical additives that are added to enhance
the performance and these are added at the
recommendation of the additives manufacturer to meet pre-determined international
specifications such as those of American
Petroleum Institute (API) and the original
manufacturers’ equipment requirements.
The Kenya Bureau of Standards reacted
to the influx of the substandard lubricants
by setting the minimum specifications for
lubricants, a move that has been taken by
the other East African authorities of quality
standards. The result is the collective decision
to set minimum specification for lubricants
as follows:•
API CD for diesel engines
•
API SF for petrol engines
However, even with this attempt, these
specifications are obsolete at least according
10

to the American Petroleum Institute’s latest
engine oil specifications in addition to other
recently set up standards. The East African
lubricants set market standards are therefore
low. They are supposed to give a minimum
drain interval of 3000 to 5000 kilometers. If
drain intervals are over extended, the life of
equipment is reduced significantly due to
increased engine wear.

For a lubricant to achieve any standards,
the additive producer develops the additive
which is blended into a lubricant that is
tested in various engines. Typically these
products are made from virgin base oils in
order to qualify for the specification. Products made from re-cycled base oils cannot
qualify under any international standards.
Recycled base oils are material processed

LUBEZINE MAGAZINE | November 2013-January 2014