The use for gob shear lubrication and cooling of products containing mineral oil is being increasingly questioned because it finds its way into water courses and sewage treatment plants. Mineral oil takes a long time to degrade and consumes large quantities of oxygen. This is detrimental to living creatures and in sewage plants, it can deactivate bacterial treament. Castrol, in conjunction with its European glass customers, set about developing a biodegradable gob shear lubricant based on ester technology. Tests have indicated that Miracol GS has a much reduced environmental impact, can be used at low concentration, gives excellent cooling with no distortion of glass gobs and has excellent fungal resistance. (whole article)