EU lawmakers in January 2006 struck an agreement on a proposal to cut down emissions of fluorinated gases as part of the Kyoto protocol on climate change. F-gases are widely used in refrigeration and air conditioning but have a high global warming potential and can sometimes stay in the atmosphere for thousands of years. The agreement mainly seeks to improve the containment and recovery of F-gases and imposes regular checks on industrial refrigeration installations. After much discussion, the compromise allows countries like Denmark and Austria to maintain stricter controls than elsewhere in Europe until 2012. A phase-out of HFC-134a in car air conditioning has also been approved as of 2011 with a complete ban applying from 2017.
Background
F-gases (hydrofluorocarbons or HFCs, perfluorocarbons or PFCs and sulphur hexafluoride or SF6) are new industrial gases used in several applications - industrial refrigeration, air conditioning systems, foam blowers, electrical switches, sport shoe 'air soles', car tyres and many others.
F-gases replaced the ozone-depleting CFCs and HCFCs in the 1990s. They are non-ozone depleting, have low toxicity levels and low flammability. However, because of their high global warming potential (GWP), several member states have already adopted legislation to monitor, control or phase out some of them (Austria and Denmark in particular).
Issues
The European Parliament and the EU Council of Ministers reached a compromise on a proposal to curb emissions of F-gases on 31 January 2006 (EURACTIV, 1 Feb. 2006). The agreement came by way of the conciliation procedure, after the two EU law-making bodies failed to agree on the details of what now looks like a complex piece of legislation. It comprises two elements:
1) A regulation (directly enforceable at national level) covering air conditioning systems and industrial refrigeration equipment as well as other 'stationary' industrial applications (heat pumps, fire extinguishers, high-voltage switchgear, F-gas containers, etc.). Domestic refrigerators - the large majority of which function on hydrocarbons - are excluded from the scope of the text. The regulation deals with the following aspects:
- A containment obligation to minimise leakages from refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump equipment on industrial premises. Checks need to be done by certified personnel at least once a year.
- Recovery of used equipment to ensure it is recycled or destroyed.
- Certification and training of personnel in charge of maintenance to ensure EU-wide minimum standards are respected.
- Labelling of products and equipment becomes compulsory (industrial applications only).
- Reporting of emissions data to the Commission on an annual basis (applies to producers, importers, exporters).
- Ban on SF6 (magnesium die-casting, vehicle tyres) and other F-gases for specific uses where containment is not feasible (non-refillable containers, windows, footwear, self-chilling drinks cans, etc.).
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Legal basis:
- environment (Article 175 of EC Treaty) for containment, recovery, certification and reporting. This means that member states are allowed to adopt more stringent rules for these.
- internal market (Article 95 of EC Treaty) for use bans, prohibitions and labelling.
2) A directive on car air conditioning (to be transposed at national level)
- As of 2011: ban on F-gases with a global warming potential (GWP) of more than 150 for new models coming out of factories. This effectively rules out the use of HFC-134a but allows the less potent HFC-152a, which has a global warming potential of 120 (CO2 = 1 on GWP scale).
- As of 2017: ban on F-gases with GWP of more than 150 for all cars.
- Legal basis: internal market (Article 95 of EC Treaty).
Positions
Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas says the agreed measures should shave some 20% off EU F-gas emissions by the year 2012 compared to 1995 levels.
European Parliament rapporteur MEP Avril Doyle (EPP-ED, Ireland) said, "Member States which currently have progressive legislation on fluorinated greenhouse gases have not been forced to lower their environmental standards. This sends a strong signal to Member States that they will be given every encouragement from the European Institutions to meet their obligations under the Kyoto Protocol."
The European Fluorocarbons Technical Committee (EFCTC), which represents producers of F-gases, supports the principle of controlling emissions rather than imposing a phase out or a ban. It therefore commended the Council and Parliament on reaching "a workable compromise" on the F-gas regulation focusing on containment. A key point for EFCTC is to keep market conditions level across the EU. "What is particularly important for us is that the internal market is respected. Banned products should be the same everywhere," said Véronique Garny from EFCTC, a member of the European Chemical Industry Council (CEFIC).
The European Partnership for Energy and the Environment (EPEE), an organisation representing refrigerant manufacturers using HFCs, has also been lobbying hard for containment measures instead of a ban on HFCs. EPEE noted with satisfaction that the compromise "prohibits the introduction of new measures from 2005" and that "existing national measures will cease to apply after 2012".
Environmental organisations have been calling for an immediate phase-out of F-gases because of their high global warming potential and have supported Austria and Denmark in their efforts to maintain their own, stricter national rules. "Austrians and Danes have a lot to celebrate," commented Mahi Sideridou, EU climate and energy policy director at Greenpeace after the agreement was announced. "We welcome the reduction [in greenhouse gas emissions] that the bill will create." However, in her view, the compromise misses out on the much greater reduction potential that the bill initially offered. "It is mostly a failure of the Commission," says Sideridou who believes the EU executive caved in to pressure from chemicals producers such as Dupont and Solvay. Greenpeace advocates the use of alternatives such as CO2 or hydrocarbon-based coolants as well as its own 'Greenfreeze' technology.
Concerning car air conditioning, alternatives to HFC-134a are still in the development phase and cannot be mass-produced at the moment, said F-gas producers at the EFCTC. The European car maker association (ACEA) said the phase-out was "challenging" but feasible and indicated that car makers are now focusing on finding viable alternatives. Japanese car makers (JAMA) said phasing out HFC-134a is not a problem for them as the Japanese market is already led by strong consumer demand for environmentally-friendly air conditioning.
One car industry expert said he believes most manufacturers will opt for a longer-term alternative to HFC-152a as it is relatively flammable and because it is likely to be phased out at a later stage anyway. He said most will opt for CO2-based mobile air conditioning instead - a technology which still needs further development (for more on car manufacturer's reactions, see EURACTIV 18 Oct. 2004).
Timeline
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31 January 2006: Parliament and Council reach a compromise agreement on:
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A regulation on 'stationary' industrial installations such as refrigerators and air conditioning systems;
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A directive to phase out HFC-134a from car air conditioning systems
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6 April 2006: Parliament gives formal green light to compromise deal (press release)
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25 April 2006: Council adopts rules on fluorinated greenhouse gases and on air conditioning in motor vehicles (press release)
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2010: Commission to assess need for further action and EU standards in the light of progress made on international commitments (post-Kyoto).
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2012: specific national measures to be lifted in favour of an EU-wide standard.
Further Reading
European Union
- Parliament (Press release):Less fluorinated-gases in Europe's atmosphere(10 April 2006) [FR] [FR] [DE]
- Commission:EU F-Gases Regulation and MAC Directive(Powerpoint presentation on conciliation agreement, 1 March 2006)
Governments
- UK Climate Change Programme:Annex F HFCs, PFCs and SF6(Feb. 2001)
- UK Dept. for Trade & Industry (DTI):Refrigeration and air conditioning. CFC and HCFC phaseout(Dec. 2000)
- Ministère de l'Ecologie et du DD:Froid et Environnement(28 June 2005)
- Germany Environment Ministry :German Consultation Paper on HFCs, PFCs, and SF6
- Danish Environmental Protection Agency:Article - Ban on potent greenhouse gases(By Steen Gade, Danish EPA Director General) (Jan. 2000)
- Danish Environmental Protection Agency:Proposal for regulating the potent industrial greenhouse gases (HFCs, PFCs and SF6)(Draft translation Jan. 2000)
- Netherlands:STEK system[only in Dutch]
NGOs and Think-Tanks
- Institute for European Environmental Policy:Uncertainties in the concept underlying the proposed European Regulation on fluorinated gases(14 June 2005)
Non-assigned links
- Eur-Lex:Proposal for a Regulation on certain fluorinated greenhouse gasesCOM(2003) 492 final [FR] [FR] [DE]
- Pre-Lex:Proposal for a regulation on certain fluorinated gases
- Parliament legislative observatory (OEIL):Air pollution: emissions and fluorinated greenhouse gases from motor vehicle air-conditioning systems [FR]
- Parliament legislative observatory (OEIL):Climate change: fluorinated greenhouse gases, hydrofluorocarbons HFCs, perfluorocarbons PFCs, sulphur hexafluoride [FR]
- Commission (DG Environment):Final Report on the Costs and the impact on emissions of potential regulatory framework for reducing emissions of hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons and sulphur hexafluoride(4 Feb. 2003)
- Commission (DG Environment):Assessment of the costs & implication on emissions of potential regulatory frameworks for reducing emissions of HFCs, PFCs & SF6(2003)
- Commission (DG Environment):Final Report on Establishing the Leakage Rates of Mobile Air Conditioners(April 2003)
- Commission (DG Environment): Special report by ECOFYS -Economic Evaluation of Emission Reductions of HFCs, PFCs and SF6 in Europe(25 April 2000)
- Commission (DG Environment):Reduction of the emissions of HFC's, PFC's and SF6 in the European Union(April 1999)
- Commission (DG Enterprise):Final Report on the European Climate Change Programme. Working Group Industry. Work Item Fluorinated Gases[includes stakeholder position papers] Annex 1 Annex 1 Annex 2
- Commission (DG Enterprise):Opportunities to minimise emissions of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) from the European Unionstudy by March Consulting Group UK, (30 September 1998)
- European Environment Agency (EEA):Indicator: Fluorinated gas emissions
- ProCool:Development of energy-efficient and environmentally friendly, plug-in refrigerators and freezers for commercial use
- UNEP:The Ozone Treaties
- Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC):Report "Safeguarding the ozone layer and the global climate system"(Summary for policymakers, April 2005)
- Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC):Extract from special report on emissions scenarios - Halocarbons and Other Halogenated Compounds
- Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC):Special Report Emissions Scenarios(Summary for Policymakers, 2000)
- The UNEP Technology and Economic Assessment Panel (TEAP):The implications to the Montreal Protocol of the inclusion of HFCs and PFCs in the Kyoto Protocol(Oct. 1999)
- IPCC/TEAP:Expert meeting on options for the limitation of emissions of HFCs and PFCs(1999)
- US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA):Non-CO2 Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Developed Countries: 1990-2010(Dec. 2001)
- Alliance for Responsible Atmospheric Policy:Alliance calls on US government to oppose European HFC equipment ban(29 March 2004)
- European Fluorocarbon Technical Committee (EFCTC):Agreement on F-Gas Regulation: a clear message in support of refrigerant choice, energy efficiency and containment to reduce emissions of fluorinated gases(1 Feb. 2006)
- EFCTC: Brochure -Greenhouse gases emissions: What has led to their most significant reduction?(Jan. 2004) [FR] [FR] [DE]
- EFCTC: Position -Actual measurements demonstrate that F-gas containment is already working.(March 2004)
- EFCTC: Position -Future F-Gas regulation(May 2002) Summary
- VCI:Position des VCI zu dem Eckpunktepapier des BMU Fluorierte Treibhausgase| Press release F-gases conference
- European Partnership for Energy and the Environment (EPEE):EPEE welcomes conciliation agreement between Parliament and the Council on fluorinated gases(1 Feb. 2006)
- EPEE:EU Climate Change Policy affecting Products has to be based on internal market rules(18 Oct. 2005)
- EPEE:The four R's of Responsible Responses to Refrigerant Regulation
- EPEE:Leakage examples demonstrate that measures in place preventing leakage already let to considerable refrigerant emission reductions [FR] [FR] [DE]
- EPEE:EPEE lodges complaint with European Commission on the Austrian order to phase our industrial greenhouse gases(30 July 2003)
- EPEE:EPEE is opposed to the Danish selective phase-put of the industrial greenhouse gases HFCs, PFCs and SF6s(11 July 2002)
- EPEE:Transatlantic Business Dialogue concerned about trade barriers
- Eurofluor:Introduction to the Flourine Industry
- Eurofluor:Applications
- European Consortium for the responsible application of refrigerants (EUCRAR):Response to the draft final report on the European Climate Change Programme Working Group Industry - Fluorinated gases(April 2001)
- EURCAR:Policy position for ECCP meeting[ppt] (25 July 2000)
- Eurammon:Refrigerants delivered by mother nature
- Eurammon:Refrigerants: impact on ozone and climate
- Alliance for responsible atmospheric policy (ARAP):Website
- ARAP:HFC and HCFC Documents
- ARAP: Report -Global Comparative Analysis of HFC and Alternative Technologies for Refrigeration, Air Conditioning, Foam, Solvent, Aerosol Propellant, and Fire Protection Applications(Prepared by Arthur D.Little) (August 1999)
- Association of European Refrigeration Compressor and Controls Manufacturers (ASERCOM):Hydrocarbon Refrigerants in Refrigerating Systems(October 2003)
- AmCham EU Committee:Letter to Commissioner Liikanen on HFC ban(18 March 2002)
- AmCham EU Committee:Proposal from Denmark to Ban the Use of Non-ozone Depleting Fluorinated Gases
- Nestlé:Position on industrial refrigeration(October 2001)
- CARE:(Producer of alternative refrigerants)
- CARE: Press release -Going cool naturally(March 1, 2001)
- CARE: Press release -Study validates HC efficiency claims(1 Oct. 2000)
- Unilever:Europe: Hydrocarbon ice cream cabinets cut impact on climate change
- Refrigerants Naturally Initiative:Website One-day conference
- CAN Europe (Climate Network Europe)/Atlantic consulting: Report:HFC containment has already failed(February 2004)
- Can Europe (Climate Network Europe):Industrial Greenhouse Gases HFCs, PFCs and SF6
- Can Europe:Commission’s regulation on f-gases: hopes for a tight policy spring a leak(Aug. 2003)
- Can Europe (Climate Network Europe):Limiting F-gases In Europe
- Can Europe (Climate Network Europe): "Keeping cool without warming the planet" (Jason Anderson)
- Greenpeace:Fluorinated gases regulation
- Greenpeace: Position paper -How to limit HFC/PFC/SF6 emissions? Eliminate them
- Greenpeace/CAN Europe:Industry claim on climate change gas containment disproved(25 Feb. 2004)
- Multisectorial Initiative on Potent Industrial Greenhouse Gases (MIPIGGs):Website
- MIPIGGS:Briefing on the climate threat posed by f-gases(3 Sept. 2004)
- MIPIGGS:HFC containment has already failed- report by Eric Johnson of Atlantic Consulting, submitted to the UK DEFRA (Feb. 2004)
- Öko-Recherche:Emissions and Reduction Potentials of Hydrofluorocarbons, Perfluorocarbons and Sulphur Hexafluoride in Germany(Oct. 1999)
- GreenFacts.org:Climate change and global warming