AdBlue® Questions

AdBlue® is a mixture of Urea and deionised water – sounds simple but it’s not! As it is used in vehicle exhaust systems, there is an incredibly rigorous specification for the product, with some elements within it having to be less than 0.2 parts per million! (That’s the equivalent of two people out of the entire population of London).

That’s why you should only buy AdBlue® that is manufactured by companies like Landowner Products Ltd, which are licensed by the Verband der Automobilindustrie e.V. (VDA). The Verband der Automobilindustrie e.V. (VDA) control the worldwide licensing of AdBlue® and routinely audits their manufacturers to ensure that the AdBlue® they produce meets the exacting specification required.

No. AdBlue® products are all the same as long as they are made by a licensed manufacturer. AdBlue® is a registered trademark of the Verband der Automobilindustrie e.V. (VDA). They set the specification and license manufacturers like Landowner Products Ltd to make it to that specification. As such, the AdBlue® you and your car needs is simply AdBlue®. 

Please be aware - a product that is labelled AdBlue® but is not manufactured by a licensed manufacturer is an infringement on the Verband der Automobilindustrie e.V. (VDA) trademark. As such, it may not be to the required specification and may invalidate your vehicle's warranty.

Your vehicle will automatically use AdBlue® at the required amount:

For commercial vehicles AdBlue® usage is typically about 5% of diesel used. So for every 100 litres of diesel that is used, you will need 5 litres of AdBlue®.

For passenger cars, the AdBlue® warning light will come on when you have about 3 litres left. AdBlue® tanks on passenger vehicles generally range between 12 and 20 litres capacity.

AdBlue® is not made of pigs urine! AdBlue® is a mixture of 32.5% Urea and Water but extremely pure versions of both. The Urea required is manufactured from Natural gas to a technical specification and looks like a white grain (a little like salt). This is mixed with deionised water (water that has been stripped of elements dissolved within it) and the mixture is then heated to ensure it dissolves.

The manufactured batch is then sent to a laboratory to test it against the Verband der Automobilindustrie e.V. (VDA) specification for AdBlue®. Only when the laboratory certifies that it meets the required standard is the AdBlue® dispatched to the customer, and the container will show the batch number of that AdBlue®.

The confusion with pigs' urine comes as AdBlue® does contain Urea, which is found in urine (both pigs and humans) but at very low levels – it can't be used to make AdBlue®!

No. There is a separate AdBlue® tank on vehicles that require AdBlue®.

For Bulk Containers (1000 litre IBC’s and Barrels), provided AdBlue® is stored at a constant ambient temperature below 25 degrees C, out of direct sunlight and in accordance with the instructions on the container it’s shelf life is 18 months.

For small pack containers (10 and 5 litre cans) if the container remains un-opened and it is stored at a constant ambient temperature below 25 degrees C, out of direct sunlight and in accordance with the instructions on the container it’s shelf life is 18 months. We do recommend that once opened the can is used in full, so as to minimise any risk of contamination potentially caused during the process of re-sealing the can and storing the spout for later use.

Unfortunately not, we are only able to accept Landowner Blue empty IBC’s as part of our ISO22241 quality assurance. If you want to order an IBC of AdBlue® from ourselves and do not have a Landowner Blue IBC to return you would need to select “First Order”; if you do have a Landowner Blue IBC to return please select “Refill”. If non Landowner IBC’s are returned we would have to invoice the £140 + VAT deposit to you.

AdBlue® is needed to cut Nitrous Oxide emissions from diesel vehicles. It is not a question of whether you need it or not. If the vehicle has an SCR system, it will need AdBlue® to run. Don’t worry though, you don’t need to look this up; if your vehicle will alert you to tell you when you're running low, usually with a warning light on your dashboard. 

AdBlue® is held in a dedicated tank on both trucks and cars – it always has its own tank. It is pumped into an SCR catalyst downstream of the engine where it reacts with Nitrous Oxide (gas that without the AdBlue® would leave the exhaust and pollute the atmosphere). The reaction converts Nitrous Oxide into Nitrogen and Water which ten leave the vehicle as naturally occurring, non-polluting elements.

AdBlue® is simple to use and is not something to fear! If your vehicle requires AdBlue®, it will normally notify you on the dashboard. Consult your user manual to locate the AdBlue® tank which on passenger vehicles is generally near the fuel cap or in the boot of the car. On commercial vehicles this is generally a separate tank on the side of the tractor unit.

Passenger vehicle drivers generally use a can of AdBlue® (up to 10 litres) to top up their AdBlue®. These cans ordinarily are supplied with a filling spout that can be screwed to the top of the can and will allow you to pour the AdBlue® into the AdBlue® tank.

For Commercial Vehicle drivers AdBlue® is generally topped up from a can (same method as above), barrel, IBC or a Bulk dispensing tank.

AdBlue® can freeze and its freezing point is -11 degrees Celsius so its not something to be too concerned about in general UK winters. If you have a can of AdBlue® and it does freeze, simply bring it back up to room temperature, allowing it to thaw naturally and it should still be ok to use.

Both products are the same and contain 32.5% Urea solution mixed with deionised water. They have the same characteristics and both are used in SCR systems to cut Nitrous Oxides. Despite being the same in chemical makeup they are called different names; AdBlue® is a registered trademark of the Verband der Automobilindustrie e.V. (VDA) and is the name most commonly given to the product through Europe. DEF the name more commonly used for the product in North America.