One day after Clean Harbors announced that its Safety-Kleen subsidiary is revising its rate structure for used engine and industrial oils from its current pay-for-oil program and replacing it with either a Zero-Pay or Charge-for-Oil rate structure, Vertex Energy announced it will be moving to a service fee model for the collection of used motor oil and environmental services.

Biodegradable hydraulic fluids are being specified with increasing frequency by governmental and industrial entities. A proposed new ASTM International standard, WK31234, Specification for Biodegradable, Low Aquatic Toxicity Hydraulic Fluids, intends to make it easier to ensure that proper hydraulic fluids are being used at environmentally sensitive job sites.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has issued a Significant New Use Rule under the Toxic Substances Control Act for Alkanes C12-13, chloro, a short-chain chlorinated paraffin. This requires manufacturers, including importers, and processors of SCCPs to notify EPA at least a 90 days before starting or resuming new uses of this chemical.

Significant growth in the global middle class, expansion of emerging economies and an additional 2 billion people in the world will contribute to a 35 percent increase in energy demand by 2040, according to a new report recently released by ExxonMobil.

• According to Industry Sources, ExxonMobil Announced a Base Oil Posted Price Reduction of 45 CPG For Its Group I CORE 100 and 600; 40 CPG for Its CORE 150; and 35 CPG For CORE 2500 (Bright Stock); 45 CPG for Its Group II+ EHC 110; and 50 CPG for Its 190 Base Oils, Effective December 22
• Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) Appoints Voyager Dynamics for Distribution of Its Products in India
• Al Habtoor Appointed as UAE Distributor of Lukoil Lubricants