Epiroc launches biodegradable thread grease
Epiroc has introduced a new biodegradable thread grease designed for drilling tools. The product carries EU Ecolabel certification and reports a carbon footprint at least 45% lower than conventional chisel paste. For businesses working on environmentally sensitive sites, in underwater environments, or tendering for contracts with environmental specifications, the launch signals a practical shift in how routine maintenance materials are assessed.
Thread greases protect drilling equipment from corrosion and wear during assembly and operation. Until recently, environmental performance rarely featured in procurement decisions for such products. However, growing regulatory scrutiny, supply chain reporting requirements, and tender criteria now mean that even consumables face the same environmental questions previously reserved for major equipment purchases.
The product launch therefore matters less for its headline carbon claim than for what it represents. Businesses are increasingly required to account for emissions across their operations, including materials used in routine maintenance. Consequently, suppliers across heavy industry are responding with certified alternatives that meet functional requirements while addressing environmental criteria.
What Epiroc has released and how it differs
Epiroc Bio Thread Grease is formulated from biodegradable synthetic esters and renewable raw materials. It carries EU Ecolabel licence number DE/027/331, which appears on the German EU Ecolabel product register under Epiroc Drilling Tools AB as vendor. The product is approved for underwater use, a feature relevant for construction and drilling activities near watercourses or in marine environments.
The manufacturer states that the grease delivers at least a 45% lower cradle-to-grave carbon footprint per kilogram than conventional chisel paste. This figure comes from a life-cycle assessment verified under ISO 14040 and ISO 14044, the international standards governing life-cycle methodology and reporting. A cradle-to-grave assessment covers raw material extraction, manufacturing, transport, use, and end-of-life treatment.
Importantly, the comparison is with conventional chisel paste specifically, not with all industrial greases or lubricants. Therefore, the 45% reduction should be understood as a product-to-product comparison under the assumptions and functional basis used in the assessment. Full life-cycle details are available on request from Epiroc, according to the company's product information.
This is not Epiroc's first biodegradable lubricant. The company already markets Bio Chisel Paste for hydraulic breakers, which holds a separate EU Ecolabel licence (DE/027/243). The new thread grease extends that range beyond hydraulic breaker applications to drilling tool maintenance.
Understanding the EU Ecolabel and carbon verification
EU Ecolabel certification is a voluntary European scheme covering products that meet defined environmental criteria. For lubricants, those criteria address biodegradability, hazardous substances, and potential effects on aquatic environments and biodiversity. Certification does not mean zero environmental impact. Rather, it indicates that a product has met the applicable criteria for its category and is permitted to display the label under a specific licence.
The carbon footprint claim relies on ISO 14040 and ISO 14044 verification. These standards provide a framework for assessing environmental impacts across a product's life cycle. However, the resulting figure depends on the assumptions used in the assessment. Variables include application rates, service life, transport distances, disposal scenarios, and the precise conventional product used as the benchmark.
For example, if the biodegradable grease requires more frequent application than its conventional equivalent, the per-use carbon footprint could differ from the per-kilogram figure. Similarly, if tool protection is less effective and replacement intervals shorten, the overall environmental benefit could be reduced. Access to the full life-cycle assessment would clarify these factors.
Nevertheless, third-party verification under recognised standards provides a level of assurance that the comparison has been conducted systematically. Businesses evaluating the product should request the detailed assessment to understand how the claim applies to their specific operating conditions.
Carbon reporting requirements now include maintenance consumables
Scope 3 emissions reporting increasingly requires businesses to account for purchased goods and services, including maintenance materials. For manufacturers, construction firms, and drilling contractors, this means that lubricants, greases, and hydraulic fluids now appear in carbon inventories alongside energy use and transport.
Public sector contracts often specify environmental criteria for materials used on site. PPN 06/21, the procurement policy note on carbon reduction plans, requires suppliers bidding for central government contracts above £5 million to publish emissions reduction commitments. While PPN 06/21 does not mandate specific products, it creates pressure to demonstrate emissions reductions across operations, including consumables.
Similarly, companies working towards science-based targets or net zero commitments must consider emissions from their supply chains. Switching to lower-carbon consumables can contribute to those targets, particularly where alternative products offer comparable performance and cost.
For drilling and construction businesses, the environmental profile of thread grease may seem marginal compared to fuel consumption or equipment electrification. However, tender evaluations and supply chain audits increasingly examine environmental performance at a granular level. Therefore, using certified products can support compliance and improve competitive positioning.
Applications where biodegradable thread grease becomes relevant
Certain operating environments make biodegradable lubricants particularly important. Underwater drilling, work near watercourses, and operations in protected landscapes all involve heightened environmental risk. In these contexts, product biodegradability and ecotoxicity matter as much as carbon footprint.
Regulatory restrictions on hazardous substances and water pollution mean that conventional lubricants may face limitations or require additional controls. EU Ecolabel certification provides assurance that a product meets biodegradability and aquatic toxicity criteria. Consequently, operators can demonstrate compliance with environmental permits and planning conditions more easily.
Infrastructure projects, mining operations, and geothermal drilling increasingly require environmental management plans that cover all materials used on site. Specifying certified lubricants simplifies compliance and reduces the administrative burden of justifying product choices to regulators or planning authorities.
Additionally, businesses with corporate sustainability commitments may face internal procurement policies requiring lower-impact alternatives where available. In such cases, the existence of a certified product with verified environmental performance removes a barrier to policy implementation.
Epiroc's broader carbon strategy and what this product contributes
In its 2024 Annual and Sustainability Report, Epiroc stated that more than 99% of its total value-chain carbon emissions fall within Scope 3. Moreover, more than 80% come from the use of sold products. The company has set a goal of halving emissions in its operations, transport, relevant suppliers, and the use phase of its products.
Thread grease is a consumable rather than an energy-consuming machine, so its direct contribution to Epiroc's overall emissions profile is smaller than equipment efficiency or electrification. However, its importance lies in reducing the environmental burden of routine maintenance materials and providing customers with alternatives for projects where lubricant leakage or aquatic exposure presents a concern.
For Epiroc's customers, the product supports their own Scope 3 reporting. Purchased goods and services form a significant category in most businesses' carbon inventories. Therefore, suppliers that offer lower-carbon consumables make it easier for customers to meet their own reduction targets.
This dynamic is becoming common across heavy industry. Equipment manufacturers face customer demand for products that reduce operational emissions and support supply chain reporting. Consequently, product development increasingly includes environmental performance alongside traditional criteria such as durability, cost, and ease of use.
Key details for businesses evaluating the product
- Epiroc Bio Thread Grease carries EU Ecolabel licence number DE/027/331 and appears on the German EU Ecolabel product register.
- The product reports at least 45% lower cradle-to-grave carbon emissions per kilogram than conventional chisel paste, based on a life-cycle assessment verified under ISO 14040 and ISO 14044.
- It is formulated from biodegradable synthetic esters and renewable raw materials, making it suitable for environmentally sensitive and underwater applications.
- The carbon reduction figure is a per-kilogram comparison and depends on assumptions about application rates, service life, transport, and disposal scenarios.
- Full life-cycle assessment details are available on request from Epiroc, which businesses should review to understand how the claim applies to their specific operating conditions.
- The product extends Epiroc's existing range of EU Ecolabel lubricants, which already includes Bio Chisel Paste for hydraulic breakers.
Practical considerations for procurement and compliance
Switching to a certified biodegradable grease involves several practical questions. First, does the product perform comparably to existing alternatives in terms of tool protection and service life? If application rates increase or tool replacement intervals shorten, the overall environmental benefit may be reduced.
Second, how does the cost compare? Environmental certification sometimes adds cost, but this may be offset by reduced regulatory compliance burden, improved tender competitiveness, or alignment with corporate sustainability commitments. Businesses should evaluate the total cost of ownership rather than unit price alone.
Third, does the product meet the specific environmental requirements of the project or site? EU Ecolabel certification addresses biodegradability and aquatic toxicity, but some permits or planning conditions may impose additional restrictions. Therefore, procurement teams should verify that the product meets all applicable criteria.
Fourth, can the supplier provide documentation for carbon reporting and supply chain audits? Businesses reporting Scope 3 emissions need data on the environmental footprint of purchased goods. Consequently, suppliers that provide verified life-cycle assessments simplify compliance.
Finally, how does the product fit within broader sustainability procurement policies? Many businesses now require environmental criteria in purchasing decisions. A certified product with verified performance makes it easier to implement such policies without compromising operational requirements.
How this fits within wider industry shifts
Environmental improvements in heavy industry are no longer limited to major equipment changes. Hydraulic fluids, greases, and other consumables now face the same scrutiny as machinery and fuel. This shift reflects the growing sophistication of carbon accounting and the increasing scope of regulatory and contractual requirements.
For example, the EU's Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive requires large companies to report environmental impacts across their value chains. Similarly, the UK's mandatory climate-related financial disclosures apply to a growing number of businesses. These regulations create demand for products that reduce emissions and simplify reporting.
Additionally, public and private sector buyers increasingly use environmental performance as a selection criterion. Consequently, businesses that can demonstrate lower-impact operations gain a competitive advantage in tendering and supply chain positioning.
The thread grease launch therefore fits a broader pattern. Suppliers across industries are developing certified alternatives for materials that were previously selected solely on functional and cost criteria. In turn, this makes it easier for businesses to reduce their environmental footprint without requiring wholesale operational changes.
What businesses should consider when evaluating the product
We work with businesses across manufacturing, construction, and infrastructure who face similar questions about materials procurement and environmental performance. Several factors matter when evaluating a product like Epiroc Bio Thread Grease.
First, understand the scope of the carbon claim. The 45% reduction is per kilogram and specific to the comparison with conventional chisel paste. Request the full life-cycle assessment to see how the claim applies to your operating conditions, including application rates, transport distances, and disposal practices.
Second, assess whether biodegradability and EU Ecolabel certification meet your project's environmental requirements. If you work near watercourses, in marine environments, or on sites with environmental permits, certified products can simplify compliance and reduce regulatory risk.
Third, consider how the product supports your carbon reporting. If you report Scope 3 emissions or have science-based targets, switching to lower-carbon consumables contributes to reduction goals. However, ensure that the supplier provides documentation that integrates with your reporting processes.
Fourth, evaluate the product within your broader procurement strategy. If you have sustainability policies or environmental tender criteria, certified products make implementation easier. Additionally, they demonstrate environmental commitment to clients, regulators, and supply chain partners.
Finally, test the product in your operating environment. Environmental certification matters, but so does functional performance. Ensure that the grease protects tools effectively, maintains service intervals, and works under the conditions you require.
At SBS, we support businesses with carbon reporting and environmental compliance that includes procurement decisions. We also help clients develop sustainable procurement strategies that balance environmental performance with cost and operational requirements.
Where to find further information and technical detail
Businesses considering the product should review the German EU Ecolabel product register, which lists Epiroc Bio Thread Grease under licence DE/027/331. The register confirms certification status and provides contact details for the awarding authority.
For technical specifications and life-cycle assessment details, contact Epiroc Drilling Tools AB directly. The company states that full life-cycle information is available on request, which is essential for evaluating how the carbon claim applies to specific applications.
The European Commission's EU Ecolabel website provides information on certification criteria for lubricants and other product categories. This helps businesses understand what certification requires and how it differs from other environmental labels.
Finally, businesses reporting Scope 3 emissions should consult the UK government's greenhouse gas reporting guidance, which explains how to account for purchased goods and services in carbon inventories.