This section presents news and 
current information related to HCFCs,
drawn from diverse sources woldwide. It is part of the HCFC
Help Centre, which provides technical, policy and other information
to support the transition to non-HCFC alternatives.
Let us know if you have any additional news articles, press releases
and other media reports about HCFCs - including the source and the
url - that we can add to the list.
This compilation would serve as an archive for future reference.
Please send any suggestions to samira.degobert@unep.org
Thank you!
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Ozone Protection, Climate Change and Energy Efficiency:
Montreal – Kyoto
"Industria & Formazione"
the second special international issue featuring articles
written by internationally-renown experts in industry, government,
and research institutes, focuses on alternatives to HCFCs,
including both natural and fluorinated refrigerants. This
magazine, was launched at the 20th Meeting of the Parties
in Doha, was produced by the Centro
Studi Galileo in cooperation with UNEP's
OzonAction Programme, the International
Institute of Refrigeration, and the Associazione
dei Tecnici del Freddo, under the auspices of the Italian
Ministry of the Environment.
Read/Download
the PDF >>>
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Maximizing the Climate-Combating Benefits of the Ozone Layer
Treaty Key Outcome of Qatar-Hosted Meeting.
Nations
Also Agree to Replenish the Multi-Million Dollar Fund Assisting
Developing Countries to continue the phase out of ozone depleting
substances.
8th Conference of the Parties to the Vienna Convention and 20th
Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances
that Deplete the Ozone Layer.
Doha/Nairobi, 21 November 2008 - Treaties combating ozone layer
damage and climate change can learn from each other in order
to maximize economic and environmental benefits. The conclusion
reflects growing understanding that the phase-out of chemicals
that damage the ozone layer - the Earth’s protective shield
- also has implications for the fight against global warming.
The governments, meeting in Doha the capital city of Qatar ,
have requested the Executive Secretary of the Montreal Protocol
ozone agreement to coordinate amongst others with the UN Framework
Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to explore closer, cooperative
ties. They are requesting that the two treaties to hold meetings
and explore several areas of cooperation including on how best
to reduce releases of substances known as hydroflurocarbons
(HFCs). HFCs, along with pollutants such as C02 and methane,
are one of the six gases controlled under the climate convention’s
Kyoto Protocol. In addition, governments are suggesting that
mutual benefits can also come from an accelerated freeze and
phase-out of hydrochluroflurocarbons (HCFCs). HCFCs are chemicals
that were introduced to replace older, more ozone-damaging gases
in products such as refrigerators and air conditioning units.
But these replacement chemicals are now also scheduled for replacement
and governments are keen to ensure that the new chemicals developed
not only are ozone-friendly, but climate-friendly too. Achim
Steiner, UN Under-Secretary and Executive Director of the UN
Environment Programme which hosts the Ozone Secretariat, said:
”In a world of scarce financial resources, maximizing the
impacts of the various multi-lateral environmental agreements
is paramount. Governments have made it clear that there can
be multiple benefits if the experiences of the Montreal Protocol
and the UN climate change convention can be better shared to
reinforce mutual aims. UNEP looks forward to exploring how best
these recommendations can be taken forward”. Maximizing
benefits among environmental treaties was among the outcomes
of the 8th Conference of the Parties to the Vienna Convention
and the 20th Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol
that concluded late last week in Doha . Linked to the Montreal
Protocol is a multilateral fund that assists developing countries
to phase-out ozone damaging chemicals. Governments meeting in
Doha agreed to replenish the fund by over $490 million for the
period 2009 to 2001. How best to destroy ozone and climate-damaging
chemicals, stored in old equipment such as air conditioning
units and foams, was also part of the talks. Countries also
urged the ozone treaty to work with funding organizations such
as the Global Environment Facility to assess the most cost effective
and rapid route to ridding the world of these stockpiled or
‘banked’ susbatnces. During the meeting various important
announcements were made (see unep.org media centre) including
the plan ro establish an ozone and climate monitoring station
in Qatar - the first in West Asia and a move by the military
from Australia, the Netherlands and the United States to assist
developing countries with the destruction of banked ozone depleting
substances.
Notes to Editors Documents related to the meeting can be
found at http://www.ozone.unep.org
For More Information Please Contact
Nick Nuttall, UNEP Spokesperson/Head of Media, nick.nuttall@unep.org
Maria Soldanha, Communications and Information Officer, maria.soldanha@unep.org
Source:
UNEP-2008 |
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Paper to be in 'Short Supply' at International Ozone Gathering
Qatar and UN Pave Way for Environmentally-Friendly, Paper-Free
Events
20th Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol and 8th
Conference of the Parties to the Vienna Convention
Doha/Nairobi,
16 November 2008 - Paper-free or near paperless conferences
may soon be in sight under a pioneering initiative by the Government
of Qatar and the UN Environment Programme(UNEP), it was announced
today.
Delegates attending an international conference on the protection
of the ozone layer are being issued with laptops and given lessons
on how to minimize paper in terms of documents, reports and
publications.
Special software is being utilized which will allow delegates
to share and amend papers during the six day meeting taking
place in the Qatari capital Doha.
The initiative is also expected to save greenhouse gas emissions
linked with the shipment of conference documents and publications
to and from meetings.
Key Issues at the ConferenceThe pilot comes as delegates
from over 150 countries are meeting under the Montreal Protocol
and Vienna Convention on substances that deplete the ozone layer.Issues
before delegates include destruction of ozone damaging substances
held in items such as fridges, fire-fighting equipment and foams.Many
of these banked ozone-damaging chemicals have climate change
impacts too. Large amount could, without action, be released
as early as 2015.This could lead to the equivalent of several
billion tonnes of C02 being pumped into the atmosphere.Countries
will also discuss the sixth replenishment of the Multilateral
Fund- which has so far spent over $2 billion on assisting developing
countries to phase out ozone-killing chemicals and switch to
less harmful ones.Countries are likely to discuss a range of
replenishment figures from around $338 million to close to $630
million to cover the coming years including the costs of accelerating
the freeze and phase-out of HCFCs-chemicals that can damage
the ozone layer but are now also known to contribute to global
warming too.A significant agreement to the accelerated freeze
and phase-out was made at the last meeting off the Montreal
Protocol held in the Canadian city from where the treaty takes
its name.Countries will again be seeking exemptions for a chemical
known as methyl bromide used for fumigating soils against crop-damaging
pests. However, the quantities of exemptions being sought are
down by around 70 per cent from a few years ago.Achim Steiner,
UN Under-Secretary General and UNEP Executive Director, said:
"The Montreal Protocol and the Vienna Convention are among
the outstanding examples of international cooperation on the
environment. They have lead to a dramatic reduction in the production
and consumption of chemicals that deplete the ozone layer-that
thin layer of high flying gas that protects all life on Earth
from deadly levels of ultra violet rays".
"This week in Doha governments need to keep that momentum
up including the necessary levels of funding needed to complete
this important work including the challenge but also the opportunity
presented for both ozone and climate from the accelerated freeze
and phase-out of HCFCs," he said.Mr Steiner said the paperless
conference concept would be another welcome and practical outcome
of the meeting.
"Tens of millions of tones of C02, the principle greenhouse
gas, are released as a result of the manufacture, printing and
shipping of paper in the form of documents, publications and
books. The UN and its numerous meetings are no exception,"
he said.
"I would like to thank the Government of Qatar for backing
this inspiring idea and look forward to taking the concept forward-if
we are successful it could become a blue print across the UN
and who knows, perhaps one day we could witness a near paperless
or paper-free General Assembly in New York," said Mr Steiner.Waleed
Al-Emadi, a senior ozone expert at the Qatar Ministry of the
Environment, said: "In the United States alone there have
been estimates that a 10 per cent reduction in the use of paper
in offices could cut greenhouse gas emissions by 1.6 billion
tones".
"Less printing also means less ink, less use of heavy metals
such as cadmium and less use of electricity. Imagine the environmental
improvements around the world if paperless or near paper less
meetings and conferences can be part of daily life.
"Paper-free UNEP Governing Council
The pilot is expected to lead to an even bigger trial when the
world's environment ministers meet in Nairobi, Kenya in February
next year at the headquarters of the UN Environment Programme
(UNEP).
The Qatar Ministry of the Environment is planning to donate
a large quantity of laptops complete with the special software
while dispatching IT experts to make UNEP's Governing Council/Global
Ministerial Environment Forum as paper-free as possible.
Many delegates attending conferences also bring and return home
with large quantities of books and reports.
A study by UNEP on climate neutrality, released in June this
year to mark World Environment Day 2008, estimated that if every
air passenger reduced their luggage and carry on items by 20
Kg it could reduce global greenhouse gas emissions by two million
tones a year.
UNEP's exhibition in Doha will also be paperless and sport the
banner 'Are You looking for a UNEP Publication? We Left it At
Home!'.
In order to get delegates on the paperless path, UNEP will be
handing out memory sticks and guides on how to download publications
while outlining the greenhouse gas emissions saved by not carting
loads of documents back home.
Notes to Editors
The 20th Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal
Protocol [took] place at the Sheraton Doha Conference and Convention
Centre. Documents can be accessed at http://www.ozone.unep.org
For
More Information Please Contact
Nick Nuttall, UNEP Spokesperson/Head of Media, nick.nuttall@unep.org
Maria Soldanha, Communications and Information Officer, maria.soldanha@unep.org |
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Military Enlisted to Combat Climate Change and Ozone Layer Damage
Doha, 20 November 2008 - The military is being deployed to help
save the ozone layer and to fight global warming under a unique
partnership between the United Nations, national governments
and several armed forces it was announced today.Military personnel
from Australia, the Netherlands and the United States are offering
to assist countries in the safe collection of stockpiles and
banks of unwanted, ozone-damaging substances.The military experts
will also give support and advice on the shipping, labeling
and other logistical procedures needed to 'fast-track' the chemicals
to disposal centers in various parts of the globe.The 'partnership'
could dramatically cut the costs of the disposal of chemicals
such as Hydrofluorocarbons (HCFCs) and chloroflurocarbons (CFCs)
to a third or less of the current market cost.Many armed forces
have existing, competitively priced contracts already in place
for destroying ozone-damaging chemicals found as gases and foams
in old military air-conditioning units and other kinds of army,
navy and air force equipment.It is hoped that by joining forces,
civilian destruction programmes will be able to benefit from
these low cost contracts making them cheaper and more attractive
to undertake.News of the initiative comes as over 150 are meeting
in Doha, Qatar for the 8th Conference of the Parties to the
Vienna Convention and 20th Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal
Protocol on substances that deplete the ozone layer.Well over
90 per cent of chemicals that damage the ozone layer - the thin,
high flying layer of gas that filters out the sun's harmful
rays - have been phased-out.But this means that significant
quantities are stockpiled in old equipment and banked in existing
devices which will soon come to the end of their life.The conference
is Doha has been told that releases from these sources could
add to both ozone depletion and climate change because many
of these substances are also potent greenhouse gases.Without
action to safely remove and destroy these chemicals experts
fear that by 2015 releases equivalent to several billion tones
of C02 could occur.Marco Gonzalez, Executive Secretary of the
UN Environment Programme's (UNEP) Ozone Secretariat, said:"
The military in many countries have been at the forefront of
efforts to phase-out ozone depleting substances - their experience
can be invaluable for developing countries facing similar challenges".The
new initiative, which will make use of technical experts in
the military already on the ground, brings together a wide range
of organizations and countries and is being spearheaded by the
US Environmental Protection Agency and the US Department of
Defence.
Notes to EditorsPartnership Overview
This partnership has a two pronged "Start and Strengthen"
approach to support collection and destruction: 1) Sharing of
information and 2) Consulting on logistics.
Better Treaty Coordination. The UNEP Ozone Secretariat has agreed
to act as coordinator with the Basel Convention Secretariat
and other conventions to ensure the transport of unwanted ozone
depleting substances to countries with destruction facilities
is correctly permitted. This activity itself will be helpful
because it will streamline the desirable shipments of chemicals
to proper destruction facilities.Public Relations. Local military
authorities will have the desirable experience of working with
local environmental authorities, helping with state and community
relations on other environmental issues faced at overseas bases.More
Efficient and Cost-Effective Waste Management. The partnership
will coordinate an international "clearinghouse" to
match supply with demand by connecting countries requiring ODS
destruction to those having proper destruction facilities available.
They will make every effort to minimize transport distances
and maximize effectiveness. By having a global clearinghouse,
small quantities can be aggregated for maximum destruction cost-effectiveness.
Partners
Argentina Ministry of the Environment
Australia Department of Defence
Australia Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and
the Arts
Federated States of Micronesia Ministry of Environment
Institute for Governance & Sustainable Development (IGSD)
International Network for Environmental Compliance & Enforcement
(INECE)
Mauritius Ministry of Environment
Netherlands Halon Bank Association
Netherlands Ministry of Defence
United Nations Development Programme
United Nations Environment Programme
United Nations Industrial Development Organization
United States Department of Defense
United States Environmental Protection Agency
Quotes by Some of the Partners "The military's leadership
shown by these partners will earn the praise of environmentalists
and compliance officials from around the world," said Durwood
Zaelke, President of the Institute for Governance & Sustainable
Development (IGSD), and Director of the International Network
for Environmental Compliance and Enforcement (INECE), a network
of 4,000 environmental authorities in more than 150 countries.
"Protecting the earth against climate change is an environmental
security campaign that we all support." "Argentina
is proud to be one of the leaders promoting the climate benefits
of the Montreal Protocol, and we welcome the opportunity to
work with the technical logistics experts from the militaries
of the world to continue these efforts to realize benefits for
both the climate system and the ozone layer," said Romina
Picolotti, Secretary of Environment for Argentina. "Our
goal is to be first to benefit from this assistance to achieve
the highest possible ozone and climate benefits at affordable
cost. Once again, Argentina wants to continue demonstrating
through our actions that developing countries are willing to
take on their fair share of climate responsibility when technology
and financing are available." "The United States is
committed to actions under the Montreal Protocol for the benefit
of the global climate system and fragile ozone layer,"
said James L. Connaughton, Chairman, US Council on Environmental
Quality. "Experts who responsibly manage military ozone-depleting
substances can transfer that know-how throughout the world to
recover and destroy a significant portion of unwanted or unusable
ozone-depleting substances." Island nations are among the
most vulnerable to climate change," said Sateeaved Seebaluck,
Permanent Secretary, Mauritius Ministry of Environment. "We
must do everything possible within as well as outside the scope
of the climate treaties to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as
fast as we can to avoid passing the tipping points for abrupt
climate changes, including sea-level rise that threatens Mauritius
and all other island and coastal nations. That's why Mauritius
and Micronesia have proposed incentives for collection and destruction
and why we welcome this partnership." "It is an honor
for military logistics experts to use their considerable talent
and experience to help the world protect the stratospheric ozone
and climate," said Robert S. Thien, US DoD ODS Program
Manager. "I am confident that the United States Department
of Defense and our partners can provide guidance to developing
nations concerning collecting, storing/banking and someday destroying
CFCs, HCFCs and other ozone-depleting substances that also threaten
climate." "The Netherlands is proud of our national
leadership in combined ODS banking for both industry and the
military and pleased to share everything we know that can protect
the global environment," said Anton Janssen, Head, Knowledge
Centre for Occupational Safety and Health and Environment, Netherlands
Ministry of Defence." "Technical cooperation on ODS
application and replacement avoids costly duplication of effort
and builds trust and networks so experts can work together for
the good of human society." "For more than a decade,
experts in our Defense Logistics Agency have worked hard to
perfect every detail of ODS bank management," said Kristen
N. Taddonio, Manager of Strategic Climate Projects, EPA Climate
Protection Partnerships Division. "Military organizations
know everything about putting ODS in secure long-term storage,
moving ODSs to destruction facilities, and moving mobile destruction
facilities to ODS.""Military organizations have protected
the ozone layer through leadership, policy, procurement, and
management," said K. Madhava Sarma, Senior Expert Member,
Montreal Protocol Technology and Economics Panel. He added,
"With military leadership and technical expertise on ODS
collection and destruction, the world is sure to succeed in
preventing harmful emissions from the ODS banks."
Source:
UNEP Ozone Secretariat |
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"Collecting and Destroying Banks: Funding for Pilot Projects
Critical for Long-Term Financing"
Action now can help us protect
the ozone layer better as well as prevent the emission of up
to 6 billion tonnes or more of CO2-eq. by 2015 from "banks"
of ozone-depleting substances ("ODSs") in discarded
products and equipment. The climate change mitigation potential
of destroying ODS banks compares favorably with the 5 billion
tonnes of CO2-eq. reductions the Kyoto Protocol seeks from 2008-2012.
The first step to prevent emissions from ODS banks is to support
the proposals advanced by Argentina, Mauritius, and the Federated
States of Micronesia at the Meeting of the Parties in Doha,
Qatar this November. The proposals emphasize the importance
of preventing emissions of ODS banks for both ozone and climate
benefits and seek funding for pilot projects to collect and
destroy ODS banks.
The TEAP has recommended US$ 27 million be allocated for the
next three years for these pilot projects to allow the TEAP,
MLF, and Parties to determine the economic feasibility of collection
and destruction strategies. Information from the pilot projects
will create the cost-certainty needed to secure the future funding
necessary to collect and destroy all cost-effective banks. (The
amount of the ODS banks that will be cost-effective to collect
and destroy will increase as the importance of their climate
mitigation increases, and this will happen as future climate
impacts grow worse, and as tipping points for abrupt climate
changes approach faster than previously anticipated.) Future
funding for collection and destruction could come from a supplemental
replenishment, carbon markets, or both.
At their July 2008 meeting in Japan, the leaders of the world's
17 major economies committed to "promote actions under
the [Montreal Protocol] for the benefit of the global climate
system." Collecting and destroying banks is one such action
they need to support now. The major economies include the United
States, France, Germany, Canada, Italy, Japan, Russia, Britain,
the European Union, Australia, Brazil, China, India, Indonesia,
Mexico, South Korea, and South Africa.
The Montreal Protocol is already the world's most effective
environmental treaty with an unmatched record in protecting
the ozone layer and supporting developing countries in meeting
their treaty commitments. The Montreal Protocol also has produced
a net reduction of 135 billions tons of CO2-eq. and delayed
climate change up to 12 years, making it, for the moment at
least, the world's most effective climate treaty as well. Last
year's decision to accelerate the HCFC phase-out will result
in additional climate mitigation of up to 16 billion tonnes
or more of CO2-eq. This year's proposals promoting the destruction
of ODS banks could result in up to 6 billion tonnes or more
of CO2-eq. climate mitigation by 2015.
Climate change is occurring faster than predictions by the Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change. Urgent action is needed to avoid "tipping
points" for abrupt and irreversible climate changes in
the near-term, and to address the climate crisis in the long-term.
The Montreal Protocol Parties have a unique opportunity to once
again make a significant contribution to mitigating climate
change while further protecting the ozone layer-an opportunity
that will be lost unless they begin action now.
For further information,
please contact IGSD, Pete Grabiel at pgrabiel@igsd.org |
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CLIMATE CHANGE: Chemical Lobby Weakening Ozone Treaty
Source:
Climate Ark, 16 September 2008, By: Stephen Leahy |
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Push
to Fix Ozone Layer and Slow Global Warming
California has proposed an extensive
set of leak detection, repair, reporting, and retrofitting
rules for large air conditioning and refrigeration systems
using high global warming F-gases. Facilities using the natural
refrigerant CO2 would not be affected by the regulation presented
to the public this week.
Source:
R744.com , 19 September 2008
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Gustav Lorentzen – Refrigerants, Naturally!
workshopSix of the world’s leading consumer brands have
met to discuss latest progress in using natural refrigerants
in point-of-sale cooling applications. All agreed that CO2,
hydrocarbons & Co. would be the way forward, calling on
others to join their efforts.
Source:
R744.com |
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The World we Avoided
The Montreal Protocol has not only helped to prevent damage
to the Earth's ozone layer — it has also slowed global
warming, say climate chemists.Twenty-one years ago the Montreal
Protocol was drawn up to restrict the use of chemicals such
as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) that contributed to the destruction
of the ozone layer, the part of the atmosphere that filters
out most of the Sun's potentially cancer-causing ultraviolet
ray. But now, sophisticated climate chemistry models have shown
that the protocol has done much more than rescue the planet
from sunburn.
Source:
Nature News, By Katharine Sanderson |
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Cooling: Rethinking refrigerants Global warming concerns creating
divergent paths.
The first major phase change
for refrigerants has not even been completed yet and already
many are urging yet another. The long, hard, costly journey
away from ozone-depleting chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which
began in the early 90s, continues, with a 2010 step down in
production and eventual phase out of hydrochlorofluorocarbon
(HCFC)-22 refrigerant in new HVAC/R applications.
Source:
“Appliances Design”, 1 April 2008, by Larry Adams
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Study commissioned by DuPont shows 65% of cooling installations
still use HCFC gasesThe
results of a new study sponsored by refrigerants manufacturer
DuPont show that 65 percent of cooling installations in nine
key EU countries continue to function on HCFC refrigerant gases,
raising questions about the level of preparedness in the market
for the EU ban on virgin HCFCs. The ban, based on EU legislation
introduced in 2000 following on from the Montreal Protocol,
will be introduced from January 2010.
Source:
Refrig.com |
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Start, then strengthen: The importance of immediate action for
climate mitigation…
the Parties are considering further strengthening the Montreal
Protocol to address banks of CFCs, HCFCs, and other chemicals
that will be released from old products and equipment at end-of-life.
These products represent an estimated 7.4 Gt CO2-eq. by 2015
and more thereafter. Argentina, Micronesia, and Mauritius submitted
proposals in May to destroy these banks when unnecessary, while
the US is also expected to support the measures as well by submitting
a proposed decision.In addition to addressing banks, other measures
can further strengthen the Montreal Protocol to maximize its
climate benefits, including tightening exemptions for essential
and critical uses of ozone depleting substances, chemical feedstocks
and process agents and strengthening efforts to combat illegal
trade. PHASE DOWN HFCS FAST Moving regulation of HFCs (gases
which have high global warming potentials) from the Kyoto Protocol
to the Montreal Protocol or to a separate Montreal Protocol-type
regulatory regime, would ensure commitment from all 191 Parties
(including the US) and greatly benefit climate. … We must
act fast. The clock is ticking.
By K. Madhava Sarma,
former Executive Secretary, UNEP Ozone Secretariat, & Durwood
Zaelke, President, Institute for Governance & Sustainable
DevelopmentSource: MEA Bulletin - Guest Article No. 50
- 27 June 2008 |
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Woolworths to use CO2 in new supermarkets
Australia’s largest food
retailer will install CO2 cascade systems in new stores after
the success of its pioneer “green supermarket” in
Sydney. The Natural Refrigerants Transition Board (NRTB) and
other NGOs now urge the industry and policy makers to follow
suit and promote sustainable refrigeration in Australia. Woolworths
Limited has more than 3000 stores and 180,000 employees across
Australia and New Zealand. The Natural Refrigerants Transition
Board was established in 2003 to achieve a wider use of natural
refrigerants by providing information and facilitating training
on their best practice use. The NRTB has received federal funding
to coordinate a national fluorocarbon refrigerants reduction
programme. The Angle Vale project is the first of five supermarkets
using cascade and CO2-only systems.
Source:
R744.com |
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Arkema launches Forane 427A website
From December 31st 2009, European
regulations require a ban on the use of HCFC-22 fluids for
the maintenance of air-conditioning and refrigeration equipment.
Arkema has been anticipating this deadline since 2005 by launching
Forane 427A, a 100% HFC and one of the lowest GWP (Global
Warming Potential) HCFC-22 retrofit solutions available on
the market.
Source:
ARKEMA, Press Release
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Time
Up! The clock may be ticking the countdown for the ban on virgin
HCFC refrigerants, but many end users are struggling to change
out, Peter Dinnage takes an
in depth look at the problems facing our industry over the next
couple of years with regard to HCFC phase out.
Source:
http://www.idsrefrigeration.co.uk/ |
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First
Ozone Prosecution in New Zealand
The New Zealand
Herald, Jun 19, 2008 |
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Nineteenth
MOP HCFC Adjustments to Enter into Force May 2008
The United Nations Secretary-General
in his capacity as depositary of the Montreal Protocol on Substances
that Deplete the Ozone Layer has advised all Parties to the
Protocol that the adjustments to the Montreal Protocol adopted
at the Nineteenth Meeting of the Parties held in Montreal from
17 to 21 September 2007, will enter into force and become binding
to all Parties on 14 May 2008, pursuant to article 2 (9) of
the Protocol. The adjustments relate to Decision XIX/6 of the
Parties on accelerated phase out of Annex C, Group I, controlled
substances (hydrochlorofluorocarbons). The following links contains
the official copies of the English and French versions of the
depositary notification: http://untreaty.un.org/English/CNs/2007/1001_1100/1096E.pdf
and http://untreaty.un.org/English/CNs/2007/1001_1100/1096F.pdf
Attached to the notification, are copies of the adjustments
to the Protocol in the six UN official languages as circulated
to all Parties by the depositary.
Contact:
Gilbert Bankobeza, Gilbert.Bankobeza@unep.org
Source:
UNEP Ozone Secretariat |
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Linking HCFC Phase-out to the Climate Agenda in African Countries
UNEP and the World Bank are proposing an initiative that would
focus on several countries in Africa to demonstrate the feasibility
of a comprehensive program that reduces both consumption of
HCFC s as refrigenrant and emissions of carbon dioxide from
the improvment of energy efficiency in the refrigeration and
air-conditioning (AC) sector through the support of multiple
resources. This proposal will be put forward to African countries
at a regional workshop in early 2009 that brings together not
only national ozone units, but for the first time, country focal
points for climate change. The workshops held on 19 November
in Doha, Qatar, allowed countries to discuss possibilities for
synergies, gauge the feasibility of the approach, and determine
steps forward as well as the roles of UNEP and the World Bank
in supporting countries in this endeavor.
Contact:
UNEP DTIE OzonAction, Rajendra Shende, rajendra.shende@unep.fr
UNEP CAP ROA, Jeremy Bazye, jeremy.bazye@unep.org
The World Bank, Steve Gorman, sgorman@worldbank.org |
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Pressures Affecting the Climate and Atmosphere
National State of the Environment
Report - South Africa
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BP
Products to Pay Nearly $180 Million to Settle Clean Air Violations
at Texas City Refinery
A copy of the consent decree is
available on the Justice Department Web site at http://www.usdoj.gov/enrd/Consent_Decrees.html
Source:
PR News Wire, Quoting : U.S. Department of Justice |
Prepare
Now. Phase Out of R-22 (HCFC) Refrigerant Gas
Source:
Refrigerant Tracker by Verisae
http://www.refrigerant-tracker.com/Phase-Out-R-22-HCFC-Refrigerant-Gas.a.html |
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Customs and Border Protection Works with EPA, Seizes Monitored
Refrigerant
Source:
Imperial Valley News, 18 December 2008, By Green Liver |
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Climate-Friendly Greenfreezers Come to the United States
Today, Greenfreeze technology
is in use in more than 300 million refrigerators worldwide,
but it was not allowed into the United States until earlier
this year when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency authorized
Ben & Jerry's to run a test trial of units equipped with
Greenfreeze technology.
Source:
Environment News Service (ENS) |
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Industry Cautions against Illegal Import of HCFCs
The Alliance for Responsible
Atmospheric Policy today cautioned industry and the public to
be certain that their hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) refrigerant
purchases are legal, and to refuse to buy illegally imported
refrigerants. The warning came as reports are beginning to surface
that illegal HCFC imports may be on the rise, in light of apparent
demand for the product to service air conditioning equipment.
Source:
ARAP |
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Malaysia Expects To Phase Out HCFCs By 2030
Uggah -SUBANG JAYA -- Malaysia is expected to completely phase
out the consumption of hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) by 2030
as scheduled, Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk
Douglas Uggah Embas said Tuesday...
Bernama, Dec 2, 2008 |
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HCFC Consumption and Challenges in China
China
current consumption of HCFCs is approximately 63% of the
total consumption and about 88% of the total production
of Article 5 countries. In the past few years, the HCFCs
consumption in China has been increasing at average annual
rate of more than 20% and it is expected to continue grow
under the unconstrained scenario. This will impose huge
challenges to China to meet with its compliance commitments
with the Montreal Protocol. Added to this, it is the challenges
to slow down the growth rate and then reverse the growth
trend, which will be the first priority for the Government
of China.
To
address such challenges within next 3 years, the Government
of China is planning to adopt three parallel but well-connected
strategies:
1)
To initiate policy intervention to control establishment
of HCFC based production facilities and control the expansion
of production capacity of the existing facilities;
2)To
develop and implement demonstration/investment projects
in various sectors within the guidelines of the Executive
Committee, which serve as leading examples for other peers
to follow; and
3)
To outreach the HCFC phase-out challenge and promote awareness
on HCFC phase-out among the local authorities at various
levels, end-users of the HCFC based equipment, and the
general public.
In
the past decade and more, China has been using very effectively
public campaigns on the emerging challenge of ozone layer
depletion and facilitating the ozone depletion substance
(ODS) phase-out through various approaches, especially
taking the opportunity of celebrating the World Environment
Day and the International Ozone Day. However, due to the
fact that HCFCs have been used as alternatives for the
phase-out of CFCs, HCFCs based equipment used to be considered
as “Green” products.
Furthermore,
with the intended promotion of HCFCs products, some local
manufacturers’ misleading advisement/ introduction
has increased more confusion of HCFCs and other ODSs.
There are some new sectors using HCFCs which were never
involved in the ODS phase-out before, for example, Expanded
Polystyrene (XPS, foam used as insulation)) and room air
conditioner. The end-users of such products haven’t
been informed of HCFCs issues and the availability of
HCFC-free products/equipment's. Raising awareness of broad
end-users has been approved as an effective measure to
push the manufacturer to adopt non-HCFC technology; therefore,
it would slow down the growth of the HCFCs consumption.
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Global
Fluorocarbon Producers Forum (GFPF1) Funds Halocarbon Measurements
in the Atmosphere
Brussels, December 2008 The Global Fluorocarbon Producers' Forum
(GFPF) is pleased to announce that it is among those governments
and industry associations who will sponsor the initiative to
establish a central calibration laboratory for halocarbons as
part of the multi-national Advanced Global Atmospheric Gases
Experiment (AGAGE).
By doing so GFPF is promoting the gathering of solid scientific
and independent data on which to base sound policies. The collection
of such data will encourage steps to reduce emissions of fluorinated
(F)-gases and, in particular, to help make the implementation
of the EU Regulation of F-gases a success.
"We are strongly committed, in particular, to put in place
all the measures necessary to reach the high level of maintenance,
containment and leakage control required to make the F-gas Regulation
a success. One convincing way to prove that its aim to reduce
emissions can be achieved is through the monitoring of the F-gases
emissions; declared the chairman of the Environmental Managers
group of GFPF, Mr. Tim Vink.
The AGAGE operates a network of globally distributed stations
conducting real-time measurements of chlorofluorocarbons CFCs,
hydrochlorofluorocarbons HCFCs and hydrofluorocarbons HFCs,
including all major natural and anthropogenic halocarbons.
The frequent measurements (12-18 per day) provide the basis
for calculating regional emissions, such as those from Europe
or East Asia, and this new calibration laboratory will help
upgrade their accuracy.
Note: the location of measuring
stations, funding organizations, and summaries of published
data are available at: http://agage.eas.gatech.edu/
1 Arkema, Solvay Fluor, Japan Fluorocarbon
Manufacturers Association, Dupont Fluoroproducts, Honeywell,
Ineos Fluor.
Contact
: the GFPF secretariat, Mrs. Véronique Garny vga@cefic.be
Source: CEFIC,
http://www.cefic.org/
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