Soil and water pollution caused as a result of production, transportation and consumption of lubricants throughout their life cycle and dispersion, leakage and spillage of lubricants in waste oil management have been a threat against the biodiversity of our planet. Most of the lubricants do not degrade in nature due to their hydrocarbon composition and they continue to exist in the ecosystem by affecting the species. Therefore it is of significant importance to use “Biodegradable Lubricants” particularly in the forest, national parks and natural protected areas and to prevent direct interaction between all lubricants and natural life.
Physical, chemical and biological impacts of lubricants are against human health and the sustainability of species on our planet. Releasing lubricants into the nature is regarded as a danger and threat against human health as per environmental toxicity. In ecotoxicity, the ecological danger of lubricants is analyzed in terms of biodiversity. Lubricants affect the earth and water ecosystems when they interact with soil and/or water, and they harm the biodiversity. That’s why the “Ecotoxicological Effects” of lubricants and waste lubricants are highly important. It is essential for lubricant producers and waste oil processors (re-refiners) to track “Ecotoxicity Values”. Biodegradability and ecotoxicity of lubricants must be analyzed in coordination, and ecotoxicological effects must be minimized or completely prevented. At this point, we should envisage an otter covered by lubricant spilled in the sea and think about the problem of inclusion of lubricants into our food chain.
According to the general view, 1 million species out of 13 million plants, animals and microorganisms on our planet are going extinct. Biodiversity, which makes our lives incomparably pleasant and functional, is in danger. Water and earth ecosystems must be recovered, renewed and protected. Degradation harms the welfare of 3.2 billion people. This year, the importance of biodiversity was highlighted with the motto “Our solutions are in nature” on May 22, International Day for Biological Diversity. Besides, the theme for June 5, World Environment Day is selected as biodiversity to make 2020 a year of opportunity and solution for biodiversity with the relevant organs of the United Nations (UN). UN General Assembly identified the period from 2021 to 2030 as the “UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration” and took steps that suit the necessities of water supply, food security, climate crisis and restoration of destroyed and degraded ecosystems for biodiversity. Due to the pandemic, widespread impact has been achieved on the issues of regaining our nature and stopping the biodiversity loss with a digital campaign from May 25 to June 5, 2020 using “ForNature” hashtag. We keep going. We need to raise our voices and take action to “keep the ecotoxicological effects of lubricants from our nature, ForNature”.
