General

• The purpose of this database
• Explanation of the main components of this database
• Source of the information in this database
• How mixtures/blends are treated in this database
• Reason why discontinued products are included in this database
• About chemical product terminology

Updating the database

• How to update contact information for a company that appears in this database
• How to add contact information for a company that does not appear in this database
• How to update details about a chemical product that appears in this database
• How to add details about a chemical product that does not appear in this database

Feedback

• Where to send suggestions about improvements to this database or to report problems

Trade Names section

• Search form displays message "The page cannot be displayed" when searching
• Explanation of codes used in the Trade Names section
• Explanation of the Compostion field in the Trade Names section
• Purpose of the color-coded bar graphic
• How to save the information to your PC

Chemical Data Sheet section

• Explanation of codes used in the Chemical Data Sheet section

The purpose of this database

In July 1999, the first control measure applicable to developing countries under the Montreal Protocol came into effect: the freeze of CFCs at the average consumption and production levels from 1995-1997. In 2002, the same freeze came into effect for halons and methyl bromide. During subsequent years - notably 2005 and 2007 -- developing countries must meet significant reduction targets for CFCs and other ozone depleting substances (ODS).

To meet these phase out deadlines, developing countries need to undertake a comprehensive national phase-out programme including the establishment of appropriate policy and regulatory frameworks, as well as implementing monitoring and control tools. Controls on the supply of ODS will play an important role in these compliance measures.

The establishment of import and export licensing systems is mandatory for all Parties to the Montreal Protocol. Because those systems determine the accuracy and completeness of national ODS consumption data, by extension they are key tools to help measure and ensure compliance with the Protocol.

The success of an import/export licensing system depends to a large degree on National Ozone Units (NOUs), customs agencies and industry being able to distinguish between imported chemical products containing ODS and those that contain non-ozone depleting alternatives. Information on trade names in the market will also make it easier for them to track and combat illegal imports.

Those officials require information about the commercial trade names of imported products that they encounter (as indicated on the product packaging and transaction/manifest papers), the chemical composition and manufacturer. Furthermore, many users in small and medium-sized enterprises know the chemicals they use only by trade names. This is especially the case for solvents and refrigerant mixtures. It will help considerably in the work to increase awareness among users in small enterprises if they can differentiate between the trade names of ODS and non-ODS alternatives in the market.

The Parties to the Montreal Protocol have taken a series of decisions related to illegal trade, several of which encourage the exchange of information to help customs officers and others identify ODS and prevent illegat trade in such substances (for a full list, see the Handbook for the International Treaties for the Protection of the Ozone Layer, pgs. 152-155). The role of UNEP in supporting the exchange of information related to customs and the prevention of illegal trade is included in several decisions, notably Decisions XII/10, XIII/12, and XIV/7.

The most recent decision relevant to this initiative is Decision XIV/7, "Monitoring of trade in ozone-depleting substances and preventing illegal trade in ozone-depleting substances", in which the Parties "encourage all Parties to exchange information and intensify joint efforts to improve means of identification of ODS and prevention of illegal ODS traffic. In particular those Parties concerned should make even greater use of the UNEP Regional Networks of Ozone Officers and other networks in order to increase cooperation on illegal trade issues and enforcement activities" (emphasis added).

This database is part of UNEP DTIE's OzonAction Programme response to those decisions and needs expressed by members of the Regional Networks of ODS Officers.

This database is also related to the international Green Customs initiative, a collaborative project providing information and training materials for customs officials to combat illegal trade in commodities of environmental concern. More....

Explanation of the main components of this database

The database is comprised of 3 linked components:

• Trade Name Details - provides information about commercial products containing ozone depleting substances or their alternatives.
• Chemical Data Sheets - provides chemical formulas, identifying numbers, and other descriptive information about generic chemical substances,
• Montreal Protocol Phase out Schedule - identifies the specific reduction and phase out time table applicable to different substances controlled under this multilateral environmental agreement.

Source of the information in this database

The initial information entered in the database has been entered by the Information Clearinghouse of the UNEP DTIE OzonAction Programme as the result of a multi-year collection effort. It is based on various sources, including:

Trade Names section:

• Product literature and technical information collected from individual companies including through company web sites.
• Assessment reports of the UNEP Technology and Economic Assessment Panel and its Technical Options Committees.
• Information collected from government Ozone Officers who are members of the Regional Networks of ODS Officers.

  In the long term, UNEP hopes that the companies themselves will take ownership of their own information (see updating procedure). I hope to also have the contribution of further information from customs officers once they start using this.

Chemical Data Sheets:

• Handbook for the International Treaties for the Protection of the Ozone Layer for chemical names, formulas, and ODP values of controlled ODS.
• ILO International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSC)

How mixtures/blends are treated in this database

For the purpose of this database, a product is considerd to be a pure substance (i.e. single component) if it contains only one substance.

If it contains more than one substance, even if only in small amounts, it is considered a mixture (blend), with the following exception for methyl bromide:

In Decision XI/26, "Recommendations and clarifications of the World Customs Organization concerning customs codes for ozone-depleting substances and products containing ozone depleting substances", the parties noted " the clarification of the classification under the Harmonized System Convention of methyl bromide containing small amounts of chloropicrin provided in annex II to the report of the nineteenth meeting of the Open-ended Working Group". In that annex, "the secretariat of the Harmonized System Convention has confirmed that methyl bromide that contains up to 2 per cent chloropicrin is considered by it to be a pure substance".

Thus, chemical products containing methyl bromide with up to 2 per cent chloropicrin are classified in this database as a single-component ODS.

For a list of refrigerant blends containing HCFCs, click here.

About chemical product terminology

In order to maintain clarity in naming the chemical products used in modern industry, chemical manufacturers and consumers have developed an "industry code" for naming chemical compounds. Compounds such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydrochloro-fluorocarbons (HCFCs), and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), are followed by a three number code that identifies the composition of the compound. The code is defined as follows:

CFC xyz or HCFC-xyz or HFC-xyz

where:

• x is the number of carbon atoms in the compound minus 1 (if x = 0, then it is omitted from the code);
• y is the number of hydrogen atoms in the compound plus 1; and
• z is the number of fluorine atoms.

For example, the formula for trichlorotrifluoroethane is CCl2FCClF2. Applying the naming convention to the formula, the code becomes:

X = 2 1 = 1 (Number of carbon atoms = 2)

Y = 0 + 1 = 1 (Number of hydrogen atoms = 0)

Z = 3 (Number of fluorine atoms = 3)

Thus, the code is 113 (this compound is CFC 113).

If x = 0, then xyz is not written as 0yz but simply yz.

Different suppliers use trade names in various ways: all of ICI's Arklone™ products are 113 based, the suffix referring to the composition, Arklone™ P and P SM are pure 113, Arklone™ E, L, A, F, etc. are blended with other solvents, such as methylene chloride, isopropanol, ethanol, etc.

However, Dupont's Freon™ products cover a wider range, including the refrigerants (for example Freon™ 11 and Freon™ 12). The Dupont 113 based systems have a prefix T (e.g. Freon™ TF, TMC, TP, TE, etc.).

l,l,l Trichloroethane (TCA) is also known by several other names. The most common of these alternatives is methyl chloroform (MCF). This name is often felt to be unacceptable because it implies that the product contains chloroform, which is not the case. Another name which is becoming more popular in the U.S. is "trike." The usefulness of this name is often discounted as well since this name has previously been used for trichloroethylene.

[Source: This explanation is based on Appendix D of the 1991 Report of the UNEP Solvents, Coatings and Adhesives Technical Options Committee.]

Reason why discontinued products are included in this database

This database contains products indicated as "Discontinued" primarily because stocks of such products may circulate for years after the company has stopped their manufacture. UNEP is also keeping this information for long-term reference purposes as no other entity is maintaining such an inventory of trade names under this multilateral environenmental agreement.

Companies are encouraged to inform UNEP about products that should be identified as discontinued.

Companies that are already listed in the database are encouraged to submit current contact information to UNEP so that the database is kept up to date. The steps to update an entry are as follows:

1. From the main page, click Search.
2. In the Search form, select your company in the field listed as "Company" then click the Search button at the bottom of the page.
3. On the Query Results page, click on the name of your company, then click "Correct above entry" at the bottom of the page.
4. Modify your company's details and click the Submit button at the bottom of the page.
5. UNEP will review the submitted information and will inform you when the change has been made. UNEP may contact you if there are any questions.

How to add contact information for a company that does not appear in this database

Companies that are not yet listed in this database are encouraged to identify themselves and their products. To add a new company to the database:

• From the main page, click Search.
• In the Search form, select your country in the field listed as "Country" then click the Search button at the bottom of the page.
• (If the above does not work because no other company is listed for your country, an alternate method is to select any company in any country, and then follow the remaining steps below)
• On the Query Results page, click on the name of any company, then click "Add new entry" at the bottom of the page.
• Add your company's details and click the Submit button at the bottom of the page.
• UNEP will review the submitted information and will inform you when the change has been made. UNEP may contact you if there are any questions.

How to update details about a chemical product that appears in this database

Companies are encouraged to submit to UNEP corrections/updates about their chemical products that appear in this database. The steps to update an entry are as follows:

1. From the main page, click Search.
2. In the Search form, select your product in the field listed as "Trade Name" then click the Search button at the bottom of the page.
3. On the Query Results page, click on the name of your company's product, then click "Correct above entry" at the bottom of the page.
4. Modify the product details and click the Submit button at the bottom of the page.
5. UNEP will review the submitted information and will inform you when the change has been made. UNEP may contact you if there are any questions.

How to add details about a chemical product that does not appear in this database

Companies are encouraged to identify themselves and their products to include them in the database. To add a new product to the database:

1. From the main page, click Search.
2. If your company is already listed in the database: in the Search form, select your company in the field listed as the field listed as "Company" then click the Search button at the bottom of the page.
3. On the Query Results page, click on the name of any product, then click "Add new entry" at the bottom of the page.
4. Add the product details and click the Submit button at the bottom of the page.
5. UNEP will review the submitted information and will inform you when the change has been made. UNEP may contact you if there are any questions.
6. If your company is not yet listed in the database: follow the instructions in the section "How to add contact information for a company that does not appear in this database" then follow steps 1-5 above.

Where to send suggestions about improvements to this database or to report problems

If you would like to provide comments or suggestions or to report a problem you have encountered, please send an email to jcurlin@unep.fr

Search form displays message "The page cannot be displayed" when searching

This error message appears if you hit [Enter] rather than use the [Search] button at the bottom of the screen. To avoid this, hit [Search] after completing the search form.

Explanation of codes used in the Trade Names section

Explanation of the Compostion field in the Trade Names section

Product composition can appear on the list in one of three ways, depending on what information is available to UNEP:

ns = the percentage of this component is not specified

The database displays a small "quick reference" graphic next to the trade name of each chemical product to make the job of identifying the type of chemical easier for the viewer. The graphic is chosen automatically by the system based on the composition of the substance as follows:

Thus, if you are interested in identifying only ozone depleting substances, you would look for any product with a graphic that contains at least one red square.

If you are interested only in identifying products containing HCFCs, you would look for a product with a yellow graphic.

If you want to identify non-ozone depleting alternatives, you should look for products with a green graphic.

While they are not controlled under the Montreal Protocol, HFCs and PFCs are used as ODS alternatives and are part of the basket of gases controlled under the Kyoto Protocol. Products containing those substance are identified by a purple graphic.

How to save the information to your PC

The system has a facility that allows users to download Excel versions of certain important data so that it can be saved to a local PC, USB flash drive/floppy, or CD-ROM. You may do this if you want to include it in a Word document, print it off or send it to a colleague.

Currently, you may download Excel files for three Quick Report sections:

• Products containing ODS
• Products not containing ODS
• Companies listed in this database
  

For example, to download an Excel file containing full details of the "Products containing ODS" Quick Report, from the Home Page:

1. Click "Products containing ODS"
2. Click the "Save to Excel" link above the blue title bar.
3. When the File Download dialogue box appears, click "Save.
4. Use Windows Explorer to find the drive and folder you wish to save the file in, and then click Save.
5. Open the file using Excel.