# Lubricant additives: Emissions

How re-refined oil cuts a lubricant's carbon footprint

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/lubricant_additives/emissions/

How re-refined oil cuts a lubricant's carbon footprint What this tab covers The greenhouse-gas footprint per tonne, split by lifecycle phase (feedstock, production, movement, use, end of life), the global total, other environmental impacts, levers and low-carbon routes, India's position, and where the investment opportunity lies. Emission intensity 2.50 t CO2e per t range about 1.5-4 · indicative: diluent base oil about 0.5-1 t CO2e/t, synthetic components about 3-5 t Global emissions per year 10.5 Mt CO2e per year 2022 · 4.2 Mt x 2.5 t CO2e/t (indicative)

Per t of additive (as sold, including diluent oil), cradle-to-gate. Intensity: indicative. Global total: indicative; Kline volume.

#### Share of footprint by lifecycle phase
 Feedstock 60% Production / process 35% Movement 5%

#### Footprint by lifecycle phase

| Phase | Intensity | Share | Main sources of emissions | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Feedstock** | about 1.5 t (indicative) | 60% | PIB, olefin copolymers, base oil, metals | Share indicative. | indicative |
| **Production / process** | about 0.9 t (indicative) | 35% | reaction heat, stripping, blending | Share indicative. | indicative |
| **Movement** | about 0.1 t (indicative) | 5% | ISO-tank and tanker freight | Share indicative. | indicative |
| **Use** | net effect on vehicle fuel use | – | friction modifiers and low-viscosity oils cut fuel use; oil consumed in engines burns | Fuel-economy oils save a few percent of fuel (indicative), far larger than the additive footprint. | indicative |
| **End of life** | about 3 t CO2 per t if burned as fuel (indicative) | – | used oil burned, re-refined or lost to environment | Re-refining recovers base oil; additive metals go to residue. | indicative |

#### Other environmental impacts

Used oil leakage contaminates water; zinc and phosphorus in waste streams.

#### Levers to cut emissions

- Formulations for low-viscosity, fuel-saving oils
- Longer drain intervals (less oil per km)
- Re-refining-compatible additives
- Bio-based esters and biodegradable hydraulic and marine fluids

#### India

India's growing vehicle fleet and BS-VI engines raise demand for low-SAPS and fuel-economy packages; used-oil re-refining is regulated but partly informal.
 Emission figures are indicative global averages from the life-cycle studies named; actual footprints vary widely by site, energy mix and method.

#### Low-carbon routes

| Route | Intensity | Cost premium | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Re-refined base oil with new additive packages** | lower than virgin base oil (indicative) | small (indicative) | commercial in the US, EU and India | indicative |

 For a climate investor The climate leverage is in fuel economy and circularity: low-viscosity oil chemistry, e-fluids for electric drivetrains and re-refining of used oil. The big four own the formulation know-how; the open opportunity in India is formal used-oil collection and re-refining, which needs enforcement of the 2016 waste rules.

## Other sections

- [Summary](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/lubricant_additives/index.md)
- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/lubricant_additives/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/lubricant_additives/correlation/index.md)
- [Production route](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/lubricant_additives/routes/index.md)
- [Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/lubricant_additives/production/index.md)
- [Feedstocks](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/lubricant_additives/feedstocks/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/lubricant_additives/cycles/index.md)
- [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/lubricant_additives/trading/index.md)
- [Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/lubricant_additives/movement/index.md)
- [Regulation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/lubricant_additives/regulation/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/lubricant_additives/characteristics/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/lubricant_additives/links/index.md)