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HCFC Phase-Out Schedule Affects Purchasing Decisions Dwindling Amounts of Refrigerant for Industry Use
March, 2007
By April Gucciardo
The Montreal Protocol, an international treaty to protect the earth's ozone layer and phase-out the use of ozone-depleting substances, eliminated the production of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) in developed countries on December 31, 1995. As a next step in this process, Canada and other developed nations have moved forward with regulatory plans to eliminate the use of CFCs and dispose of the surplus inventories that remain in use.
Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) are also ozone-depleting substances and under the terms of the Montreal Protocol, the production and consumption of HCFCs will be phased out in developed countries over the next 23 years. HCFCs are used extensively in the refrigeration and air conditioning industry - the most common being R-22 and R-123 in large centrifugal chillers.
HCFCs are a controlled substance under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 because of their ozone-depleting potential. Importation and manufacturing of new or "virgin" HCFCs is regulated by a federal allowance system. The Canadian government has adopted the following phase-out schedule for HCFCs based on the terms of the Montreal Protocol:
January 1, 1996 baseline annual allowable amount of HCFCs based on Protocol
January 1, 2004 annual allowable amount of HCFCs reduced by 35%
January 1, 2010 annual allowable amount of HCFCs reduced by 65%
January 1, 2010 no new R-22 equipment manufactured or imported
January 1, 2015 annual allowable amount of HCFCs reduced by 90%
January 1, 2020 annual allowable amount of HCFCs reduced by 99.5% except
HCFC-123, which can be imported or manufactured until 2030 to service large air conditioning units (chillers); no new HCFC equipment to be manufactured or imported
January 1, 2030 HCFCs no longer permitted to be imported or manufactured
The next phase-out of HCFCs is only three years away. At this time, HCFCs will be reduced by another 900,000 kilograms, leaving a total of 1 million kilograms available for industry use. Another item of note is that as of January 1, 2010, no new R-22 equipment will be manufactured in or imported into Canada. Being prepared for the next phase-out is of paramount importance.
The challenge for the refrigeration and air conditioning industry and equipment owners is to prepare for the orderly move from HCFC refrigerants to the many alternatives offered in the refrigeration marketplace. This is becoming more important when the typical lifecycle of 10 to 30 years for HCFC equipment is taken into consideration. Based on these lifecycle timeframes and the phase-out schedule for HCFCs, industry members and their customers need to be aware of the facts on the HCFC phase-out and the alternatives available when planning for future refrigeration and air conditioning equipment needs.
Property managers who are planning to purchase cooling and refrigeration equipment prior to January 1, 2010 need to ensure they are aware of the HCFC phase-out schedule, current alternatives and options for replacement of HCFC refrigerants and equipment. There are a number of factors (equipment age, budget, maintenance, refrigerant inventory, etc) to consider prior to making the decision to replace or retrofit existing equipment.
The use of alternative refrigerants in equipment designed for HCFCs can involve varying levels of cost and effort. Some alternatives require modifications to existing equipments while others may involve a change in maintenance practices. Others, still, will require a replacement of existing equipment.
Service contractors can provide valuable information to help with those decisions and help to create a plan for current HCFC equipment and how to deal with the phase-out. To locate a qualified contractor, visit the Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Contractors of Canada (HRAC) web site at www.hrac.ca.
The web site also features brochures, posters and a downloadable PowerPoint presentation with valuable information about the HCFC phase-out schedule, information about HCFC refrigerants and where they are used and HCFC alternatives.
More than 16,000 copies of the brochure, Moving Away from HCFC Refrigerants have been distributed, and feedback received from users has indicated that the information contained within the brochure has been invaluable in helping to understand the impact of the HCFC phase-out on their businesses.
April Gucciardo is with Refrigerant Management Canada. For more information, see HCFC phase-out web site at www.hrai.ca/hcfcphaseout, or contact April at 905-602-4700 ext. 239 or agucciardo@hrai.ca
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