Some Replacements for CFC-Containing Refrigerants Much More Potent GHGs than CO2

• Aug 03, 2011

While international climate talks remain deadlocked, the Montreal Protocol has been methodically eliminating some of the worst chemicals contributing to global warming.

International ozone negotiators meeting in Montreal last week approved country plans to phase out ozone depleting substances (ODS) that are also super greenhouse gases (GHGs) that harm the global climate. By 2015, the reductions approved last week will prevent more than 62 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent (CO2e) emissions.

From 25-29 July, negotiators at the Multilateral Fund, the financial body established to assist developing countries to meet their commitments under the Montreal Protocol, assessed ODS phase-out plans submitted by dozens of countries including China, Brazil, Indonesia and Mexico.

Countries converting from ODS traditionally have chosen to convert to high-GWP hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), chemicals that do not harm the ozone layer but that are super-greenhouse gasses with global warming potentials (GWPs) hundreds to thousand of times greater than CO2. Developed countries that have already phased out ODS have switched to high-GWP alternatives in about 75 percent of instances. However at last week's meeting, many phase-out plans that proposed to convert to HFC-410A and other high-GWP alternatives were either revised or rejected.

"The rejection of phase-out plans that proposed the use high-GWP alternatives signals that the Montreal Protocol is committed to protecting climate," said Mark W. Roberts, international policy adviser to the EIA, who attended the meeting. He added, "The world is finally recognizing that there's simply no reason to fund transitions to super greenhouse gases when environmentally responsible alternatives are available."

While the majority of conversions were from HCFCs to low-GWP alternatives, several plans were approved that will "phase-in" high-GWP HFCs in refrigeration and air conditioning, primarily as a result of funding constraints that are limiting complete adoption of climate-friendly alternatives. HFC-410A, which is 1,890 times more powerful as a greenhouse gas than CO2, was approved for use in air conditioning in China, Mexico and Lebanon. These conversions will negate millions of tonnes of CO2-equivalent emissions reductions and lock these countries into climate-damaging technologies for decades.

"The decisions being made are a signal to all countries that HFCs are a dead-end technology and that enormous climate benefits are available through the Montreal Protocol's HCFC phase-out,” said Clare Perry, senior campaigner at EIA. "An even greater climate payoff could be achieved by slightly increasing the Multilateral Fund's budget so that HFCs are not unnecessarily phased in," she said.

A second meeting of the Montreal Protocol's began yesterday to discuss wider issues including the next tranche of funding available for the HCFC phase-out, as well as proposals to begin a phase-out of HFCs.

China receives $265-million grant to reduce HCFC use

Thursday, August 04, 2011

The Multilateral Fund, a financial body established to aid developing countries meet their Montreal Protocol commitments, has given China a $265-million grant, to reduce the country’s use of hydrochlorofluorocarbons which contributes to ozone layer degradation. China, the largest producer and consumer of the gas, uses HCFC mainly for air-conditioning refrigerant as well as industrial and commercial refrigeration, foam blowing agents, and as solvents. The country will be using the grant approved by the executive committee to support its commitment on achieving a green economy. This step also represents the first stage of China’s HCFC phase out management plan, which when implemented, will not only eliminate 3,320 tons of HCFC consumption in the country, but will also help the country adopt new technologies that will be used to significantly reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. Under the country’s plan to reduce the use of the gas, they intend to strengthen policy implementation to restrict the growth of HCFC production capacity, and establish the production capacity of alternatives through a series of projects. In addition, the government will also focus on reducing the leakage of refrigerants. Following the plan and with the aid of the grant, China could see an overall reduction of about 17 percent of the country’s total amount of controlled HCFC use. In line with their efforts, United Nations Development Program, U.N. Environment Program, U.N. Industrial Development Organization, the World Bank, and the governments of Germany and Japan will be aiding China. In 2009, China was responsible for over 58 percent of HCFC consumption in developing countries; this was due to the rapidly growing economy. Industries in the country are faced with the fact that they should convert hundreds of their assembly lines in order to stop the consumption of HCFC by 2013 and reduce its consumption from this level by 10 percent by 2015. “The approval of China’s HCFC phase out management plan represents an extraordinary achievement by the Multilateral Fund and its stakeholders to reduce HCFC consumption,” said Maria Nolan, chief officer of the Multilateral Fund. The fund was established in 1991 and has since approved activities including industrial conversion, technical assistance, training and capacity building worth over $2.6 billion. As of April 2011, contributions made by some 45 countries totaled over $2.77 billion. Its main objective is to assist developing country parties to the Montreal Protocol whose annual per capita consumption and production of ozone depleting substances is less than 0.3 kilograms to comply with the control measures of the protocol. Currently, 147 of the 196 parties to the Montreal Protocol meet these criteria. In line with the Montreal Protocol’s phase out of ozone depleting substances starting the last week of July, the U.N. had started giving aid to countries in their transition to a low-carbon economy. It is estimated that by 2015, combined member countries’ plans to reduce ozone depleting substances will prevent more than 62 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions. (L. J. Polintan) Article obtained from: http://www.ecoseed.org/politics-article-list/article/3-politics/10647-china-receives-$265-million-grant-to-reduce-hcfc-use

Miami Man Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Smuggling Refrigerant
WASHINGTON –Today, U.S. District Court Judge Adalberto Jordan sentenced Brendan Clery, 34, to 18 months in prison and ordered him to pay a $10,000 criminal fine and forfeit illegal proceeds in the amount of $935,240. Clery pleaded guilty in April 2011 to knowingly importing approximately 278,256 kilograms of illegal hydrochlorofluorocarbon - 22 (HCFC-22, also known as R-22) into the United States. HCFC-22 is an ozone-depleting substance regulated by EPA under the Clean Air Act (CAA). HCFC-22 depletes the ozone layer, resulting in increased ultraviolet radiation-B (UV-B) reaching the Earth’s surface, which in turn leads to a greater chance of overexposure to UV radiation and the risks of health effects, such as skin cancer, cataracts, and suppression of the immune system.

"EPA takes seriously the smuggling of illegal substances that can harm the ozone layer, which protects us from harmful UVB radiation that can cause skin cancer and cataracts,” said Cynthia Giles, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “Today’s sentencing is an example of EPA’s commitment to aggressively enforce U.S. laws and meet our international obligations."

According to court records and statements, in 2005, Clery formed and served as president of Lateral Investments LLC, a corporation he established in Florida for the purpose of importing merchandise, including refrigerant gas he intended to sell illegally. Between June and August 2007, Clery illegally smuggled approximately 278,256 kilograms or 20,460 cylinders of restricted HCFC-­22 from China, with a market value of $1,438,270, and at no time did Clery or Lateral Investments hold the consumption allowances required to legally import HCFC-22.

EPA established a schedule to phase out the production and importation of ozone-depleting substances, with a complete phaseout starting in 2030. To meet its obligations under the Montreal Protocol, an international treaty designed to protect the ozone layer, EPA issued baseline consumption allowances for the production and importation of HCFC-22 to individuals and companies. To legally import HCFC-22 for consumption, one must hold and expend one consumption allowance for each kilogram of HCFC-22 imported into the United States.

This case was part of a larger criminal investigation known as Operation Catch-22. It was investigated by the Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Criminal Investigation Bureau, and prosecuted by special assistant U. S. Attorney Jodi A. Mazer.

More information on EPA’s criminal enforcement program: http://www.epa.gov/compliance/criminal/index.html

EPA Aggressively Auditing Refrigerant Record Keeping

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) appears to be aggressively auditing the refrigerant record keeping of HVACR contractors in the South.

The NEWS has been receiving reports of the effort in Texas, Arkansas, and Mississippi, although it is unclear as to how many contractors are being audited. 

One distributor from that region did say that he has received “numerous calls” in recent weeks from contractors who have been visited by the EPA. Another distributor from that region said contractor customers have told him they are being audited by the EPA and need to produce records of their refrigerant recovery/reclaim activities.

There were also indications that some distributors have also been visited and counter sales people were asked about the supply house reclaim program.

When contacted by The NEWS, the EPA would only say that it “cannot discuss ongoing cases, but continues to perform inspections, respond to tips, and take enforcement action as resources allow.”

The recent record keeping audits by the EPA are the most significant actions by the federal agency within the HVACR industry since 2004 when the EPA moved against the Dominick’s supermarket chain for illegal venting of HCFC-22. That resulted in an $85,000 fine and the shuttering of three stores and major overhaul of three others.

But the most recent actions are focused on contractors rather than an end user and deal with record keeping rather than venting.

It is unclear if the EPA will eventually issue a formal statement regarding the ongoing audits as it did with the Dominick’s case. The fine and resolution in the supermarket sector led to the EPA and the Food Marketing Institute proactively launching the GreenChill initiative, which encourages environmental and efficiency improvements within stores and accords recognition for those efforts.

Like the issue of venting, the record keeping falls under Section 608 of the Clean Air Act.

According to a portion of record keeping requirements:

“Technicians servicing appliances that contain 50 or more pounds of refrigerant must provide the owner with an invoice that indicates the amount of refrigerant added to the appliance. Technicians must also keep a copy of their proof of certification at their place of business.

“Owners or operators of appliances that contain 50 or more pounds of refrigerant must keep servicing records documenting the date and type of service, as well as the quantity of refrigerant added.” 

Publication date: 07/11/2011

Dry R-22 Units Under the Gun

Trapped in a middle ground between Pulitzer-caliber journalism and public relations drivel, there are few places to aggressively wield the power of the pen, which would definitely be a great stress relief mechanism for overworked old editors — if it were only possible.

That’s why I love the government. One could pick almost any agency to rant about without getting in much trouble; the person (Republican) who receives The NEWS won’t share it with anyone else (Democrats), so I’m sure this missive will fall mostly on a deaf ear. So, today, let’s take a shot across the bow at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

BANG-BANG

To get you in the mood, first recall a front-page story that graced our cover on June 13: “Carrier Asks EPA to Stop Dry R-22 Units.” That story, by the way, generated more comments online than anything we had published in recent memory, and topped the charts when it ran in our Monday morning enewsletter. The range of comments cast Carrier Corp. as everything from an evil empire to an industry torch bearer. As you might guess, the EPA did not fare so well in the common court of opinions.

As the folks at Carrier would tell you, in the interest of full disclosure, they also are manufacturing and selling dry R-22 units along with all major unitary manufacturers in the United States. John Mandyck, Carrier vice president, sustainability & environmental strategies, said, “It became clear to us that the market was moving faster than the government could act, so we moved with the market to remain competitive, but if EPA banned the manufacture of dry R-22 condensing units today we would support that move …”

In an interview, Mandyck told me that the EPA “asked a lot of good questions,” during a meeting held more than a month ago, at which time the petition by Carrier was initially filed. Unfortunately, when The NEWS spoke to the EPA for the June 13 article, we must not have asked any good questions — because the EPA sidestepped nearly every one of them.

Hailing from some old time political stock in the South, I, for one, can certainly appreciate some good old fashioned posturing. It’s the way the world works in front of the closed doors. Behind the closed doors is where people more often speak their true mind.

However, the fact that the EPA and the Department of Energy (DOE) seem to be at quite opposite poles with regard to the affect that dry R-22 units will have in the industry, the economy, and on the environment, is disconcerting, and deserving of better answers.

LOOPHOLES

Drusilla Hufford, director Stratospheric Protection Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency would not acknowledge the fact that seven major HVAC manufacturers will build upwards of 600,000 units in 2011, an amount that will begin to gnaw away at the energy efficiency savings that resulted from the 13 SEER Rulemaking of January 2006.

Understandably, Hufford did not suggest a timeline for a final resolution regarding the Carrier petition. It is understandable that she would not want to acknowledge any mistake on behalf of the EPA in regard to the unforeseen ramifications of the loophole that allows the manufacture of dry R-22 units. That kind of posturing by an agency official is OK. Refusing to acknowledge that seven industry manufactures have reopened assembly lines for the express purpose of building units that will routinely be mismatched in the field, thus creating the possibility of installed systems that do not meet the 13 SEER minimum — that is not OK.

Why would the dry R-22 units not meet the minimum? The DOE still has not yet issued anything past a preliminary guidance as to how to rate the efficiency of the dry R-22 units; something that has probably been the result of a little confusion about most popular coil matches.

In the jargon of some old Southern politicians, that means Katy, bar the door. Or, said another way, take precautions, there is trouble ahead.

There, I feel better. The stress is rolling away. But, I really hope the one person in the government who is subscribing to The NEWS does not cancel their subscription, because that will probably get me in trouble.

Publication date: 06/27/2011

by Mike Murphy

Have a Safe and Happy Independence Weekend!!

RemTec is available for Emergency Recharges over the Holiday weekend!

1-800-372-1301

Carrier submits R-22 petition to EPA

Carrier has submitted a petition to EPA requesting a rule making to reclassify a residential condensing unit as a sub system of a system to extend the manufacturing prohibition to dry R-22 condensing units. A manufacturing ban would take effect on January 1, 2012. To date, the EPA has not agreed to reopen this rule making.