Trinidad and Tobago: Automotive engine oil – Compulsory requirements

 

Trinidad and Tobago has published a new standard: Automotive engine oil – Compulsory requirements PCTTCS 27: 20XX.

This standard outlines compulsory requirements for automotive engine oils for use in Trinidad and Tobago.

The standard applies to automotive engine oil used in gasoline fuelled vehicles, diesel fuelled vehicles, hybrid-electric vehicles and bi-fuel vehicles using compressed natural gas with either gasoline or diesel.

This standard does not apply to automotive engine oils formulated for use in:

• motorcycles;
• off-highway or off-road vehicles;
• farm equipment;
• industrial equipment;
• marine engines or vessels;
• two-stroke engines;
• construction equipment; and
• motorsport or recreational vehicles.

TTCS 27:20XX replaces TTS 574:2001, Automotive Engine Oil, which is obsolete and has been withdrawn.

This standard was established in alignment with Good Regulatory Practices to outline minimum requirements for automotive engine oils for use in Trinidad and Tobago.

This standard differs from TTS 574:2001 with respect to the following:

• the tables with limits and test methods for various categories of automotive engine oils were removed because they are obsolete;
• the clause pertaining to mechanisms to demonstrate compliance has been updated;
• a clause pertaining to conflicts with other national standards has been included; and
• a clause pertaining to measures related to non-compliance has been included.

TTBS has recommended that this standard be accorded compulsory status. This standard will become effective as a compulsory standard on a date to be notified by the Minister responsible for trade and industry in a Notice to be published in the Trinidad and Tobago Gazette, as required by the Standards Act (Chapter 82:03) in accordance with the following:

• to require adequate information to be given to the consumer or user;
• to protect the consumer or user against danger to health and safety; and
• to prevent fraud or misrepresentation arising from misleading advertising or labelling.

This standard is intended for use by:

• producers, importers and distributors of automotive engine oils to assist in manufacturing or procuring products which satisfy minimum requirements and demonstrating compliance to this compulsory standard; and
• regulatory agencies as a basis for assessing locally produced or imported automotive engine oils within an established regulatory framework.

In the preparation of this standard, considerable information was obtained from the following documents, which were current at the time that this standard was being prepared:

• TTCS 20:2023, Labelling of goods – Pre-packaged goods – Compulsory requirements;
• SAE J300: 2015, Engine Oil Viscosity Classification;
• SAE J183: 2020, Engine Oil Performance and Engine Service Classification (Other than “Energy Conserving” or “Resource Conserving”);
• SAE J1423: 2021, Classification of Energy Conserving and Resourcing Conserving Engine Oil for Passenger Cars, Vans, Sport Utility Vehicles, and Light-Duty Trucks;
• API 1509: 2021, Engine Oil and Licensing Certification System; and
• ACEA European Oil Sequences 2021.

To find out more about compliance for automotive engine oil worldwide, please do not hesitate to contact the Institute for Global Automotive Regulatory Research Directly.