replacing HFCs with natural refrigerants worldwide today

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BeyondHFCs is attending the 30th Open Ended Working Group of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol this week and holds a side event on Thursday this week in order to present our analysis of the latest TEAP report.

The publication of the latest Technical and Economical Assessment Panel of the Montreal Protocol in May 2010 is being discussed this week at the 30th Open Ended Working Group of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol in Geneva.

Parties to the Montreal Protocol have gathered to discuss the findings of the report and discuss the possible amendment of the Montreal Protocol in order to regulate and limit the production and consumption of climate warming gases (f-gases) alongside with the ozone depleters.

BeyondHFCs calls during this meeting on Parties to agree on an HFC phase out within the ambit of the Montreal Protocol and to support an amendment that has been submitted in this respect by the Federated States of Micronesia and Mauritius.

In addition, BeyondHFCs has made an analysis of the latest Technical and Economical Assessment Panel (TEAP) publihed in May 2010. The report describes the substances available to replace HCFCs that range from fluorocarons to fluorocarbons-free technologies.
BeyondHFCs finds that the TEAP report is unsatisfactory when it comes to analysing alternatives to high GWP substances and downplays or even completely ignores the contribution that natural refrigerants can make in cutting direct greenhouse gas emissions. Overall, BeyondHFCs notices that the TEAP dedicates a lot of ressourses in analysing the next generation of HFCs, called HFO 1234yf which has not been marketed yet and many tests have repeatedly warned against its flammable and toxic properties.

The BeyondHFCs position paper on the TEAP report is attached to this article. It will also be presented at the side event oganised by BeyondHFCs on Thursday 17th June at 1 o'clock, in the premises of the ICCG n Geneva, where the 30th is hosted until the end of this week.

To download the BeyondHFCs position paper click here.