LubeCare: Most Frequently Asked Questions and Answers

Q: What is LubeCare based on?
A: Product stewardship is one of the codes of Responsible Care^®, The American Chemistry Council's (formerly the Chemical Manufacturers Association) initiative to respond to public concerns about the manufacture and use of chemicals. Other trade associations such as the National Paint and Coatings Association (NPCA Coatings Care^®) have similar programs. More importantly, this is based on the successes of the MWFPSG, ILMA's Metal Working Fluids Product Stewardship Group.

Q: What is product stewardship?
A: There are many ways to define product stewardship. EPA defines product stewardship in this way:

Product stewardship is a product-centered approach to environmental protection. Also known as extended product responsibility (EPR), product stewardship calls on those in the product life cycle-manufacturers, retailers, users, and disposers-to share responsibility for reducing the environmental impacts of products.

The American Chemistry Council describes the goal of its Product Stewardship Code as a tool to make health, safety and environmental protection an integral part of designing, manufacturing, marketing, distributing, using and recycling and disposing of products.

Q: What are the perceived benefits of LubeCare?
A: The MWFPSG was formed at the suggestion of EPA. EPA told ILMA that they would be less likely to impose new regulations on the metalworking fluid industry if it were evident that the industry demonstrated it was successfully practicing product stewardship.

Q: Is LubeCare repetitive with ISO?
A: Product stewardship is complementary to ISO. ISO documentation practices provide an excellent vehicle to write product stewardship programs. We think you will find that our LubeCare guidance will help round out and improve your ISO programs and provide outreach mechanisms to your customers.

Q: Is LubeCare mandatory?
A: The ILMA Board, while strongly endorsing LubeCare, has indicated that they want LubeCare to be an entirely voluntary initiative of their membership.

Q: How much will this cost and how does my company get started?
A: As in any other health and safety or environmental program, this can be done by a wide range of expenditures. One expensive but quick way to implement would be to hire a specialized consultant to work with your employees and write a program.

A far less expensive way and possibly a better way to get your key employees involved would be to appoint a short lived committee to read the ILMA informational packet and take inventory of what your company is already doing well, identify important gaps and recommend directions that make the most sense for your company.

Q: What is the best way to organize?
A: As with any other initiative, appointing a program coordinator usually works best. The coordinator can be someone in your health and safety organization, someone in your product development group, or someone in your sales organization. You need a dynamic individual from an organization that will play a large role in leading product stewardship for your company.

Another method that works well is that the coordinator should be made accountable to a sponsor, someone high in the organization (i.e., CEO, president, vice president) who will make it very clear that your company is committed to this effort.

Q: Why should I participate in LubeCare?
A: One of the most heard comments from advocates of product stewardship is that it is simply the "right thing to do." In this age of environmental consciousness, every company needs to consider the size of their footprint and think beyond the environmental and health and safety regulations to become responsible corporate citizens for the good of all and the sustainability of their business.