What’s In Store For The Future Of Metalworking Fluid Additives?

Full implementation of the GHS (Globally Harmonized System) regulations are set to be in place by mid-2015, and the European Union’s REACh registration requirements are to be completely updated by June of 2018. These new regulations are expected to affect the metalworking lubricants industry especially hard. The cost to MWF additive manufacturers to participate in the REACh program, where anyone importing or manufacturing within the E.U. over one metric ton per year of a given substance must collect and report any hazard information, physical properties and use information to the ECHA, is expected to be a large deterrent for those not already importing substantial volumes. The new GHS requirements also add compliance difficulties and end-user pushback on the domestic front, especially due to the nature of metalworking fluid additives. Environmental regulations are also problematic when discussing metalworking fluids. In the STLE textbook Metalworking Fluids, Eugene M. White writes, “MWFs are difficult to classify and regulate due to their chemical diversity and proprietary compositions.” He adds, “Another barrier to the regulation of MWFs is that, during normal usage, they undergo physical changes.” These inherent properties can create problems when attempting to regulate unused fluids. The balance between protecting machinery and the environment as well as keeping costs down poses a difficult challenge for the future of metalworking fluids and their additives.