RESPONSIBLE USE PRINCIPLES
FOR HYDROFLUOROCARBONS (HFCs)

HFCs are used in important applications in both developed and developing countries including metered dose inhalers, foam insulation, refrigeration, air conditioning, technical aerosol products, solvents, and fire extinguishants.

HFCs are necessary for an orderly phase out of ozone depleting substances under the Montreal Protocol.

HFCs are included in the basket of greenhouse gases under the Kyoto Protocol.

HFCs are low in toxicity, cost-effective, safe to use, and in many applications provide high energy efficiency.

Without responsible use, it is projected that by 2050 HFCs could account for up to 2% of total greenhouse gas contributions.

It is resolved by this partnership of governments, international organizations, and HFC-producing and using industries to apply worldwide the following Responsible Use Principles:

• Select HFCs for applications where they provide health and safety, environmental, technical, economic, or unique societal benefits
• Minimize HFC emissions to the lowest practical level during manufacture of the chemical, and during use and disposal of equipment using cost-effective technology
• Design and operate HFC-producing plants with the goal of achieving zero HFC emissions
• Engineer, operate and maintain HFC-using systems to minimize emissions and maximize energy efficiency
• Recover, recycle, reclaim and/or destroy used HFCs where technically and economically feasible
• Promote comprehensive technician training in HFC handling to assure compliance with regulations and stewardship practices
• Meet standards governing HFC equipment installation and maintenance, HFC transport and storage, and exceed such standards when appropriate
• Accurately report HFC production and promote models, that accurately estimate emissions
• Consider alternatives that are technically, environmentally, and economically feasible

HFCS ARE PART OF BALANCED SOLUTIONS FOR SOCIETY.

Comprehensive national climate change plans use the basket approach to reduce emissions of the six principal greenhouse gases, including HFCs. With respect to HFCs, the plans should fully balance relevant environmental, safety, health, energy efficiency, and economic factors.

Life Cycle Climate Performance (LCCP) is a tool that should be used to evaluate the environmental benefits of refrigeration, air conditioning and insulation.

HFC emissions reductions are already occurring through voluntary actions and industry-government partnerships. Such partnerships are also jointly engaged in research, communication and other activities to find new technologies, designs and processes to enhance overall product viability, including energy efficiency and cost.

The UNEP Technology and Economic Assessment Panel (TEAP) of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (1999) concluded that HFCs are important to the current safe and cost-effective phaseout of CFCs in developing countries. They are essential substitutes for highly important uses of ozone-depleting substances and are also technically and economically necessary for phase out of HCFCs in developed and developing countries.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Third Assessment Report (2001) documented options for reducing emissions of HFCs and concluded that for some HFC applications, alternatives are not technically and economically feasible.

The European Union's submission to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (July 1999), stated, "Action taken to reduce HFC emissions should not undermine the efforts to phase out ozone-depleting substances."

A report by Arthur D. Little entitled Global Comparative Analysis of HFC and Alternative Technologies... (2002) found that HFCs are the preferred alternative to replace ozone-depleting substances where they provide superior overall technical, environmental, and safety benefits.

AIR CONDITIONING AND REFRIGERATION

• Contain refrigerants in tight or closed systems and containers minimizing atmospheric releases
• Encourage monitoring after installations to minimize direct refrigerant emissions and to maintain energy efficiency
• Train all personnel in proper refrigerant handling
• Comply with standards on refrigerant safety, proper installation and maintenance (e.g., ASHRAE-15 and ISO- 5149)
• Design, select, install and operate to optimize energy efficiency
• Recover, recycle and reclaim refrigerants
• Continue to improve equipment energy efficiency when cost effective

SOLVENTS

• Use HFC solvents where environmental impact is offset by societal benefit
• Achieve the lowest economically practical emission levels
• Use enclosed systems with frequent monitoring for worker health and safety
• Recover, recycle and reclaim solvents
• Train all personnel involved in handing

VEHICLE AIR CONDITIONING

• Contain air conditioning refrigerants in tightened systems to minimize atmospheric releases
• Recover, recycle and reclaim all refrigerants
• Train service personnel in proper handling of air conditioning refrigerant
• Design equipment to minimize refrigerant amount
• Design, install and operate to maximize energy efficiency
• Minimize leakage of refrigerant during initial filling of vehicle air conditioners
• Continue research, development and evaluation of all alternatives
• Encourage recovery and recycling where the air conditioning system must be opened
• Encourage repair before recharge

HOUSEHOLD REFRIGERATION

• Contain refrigerants in tight systems and containers minimizing atmospheric releases
• Recover, recycle and reclaim refrigerants
• Minimize end of life emissions where technically and economically feasible
• Train all personnel in proper refrigerant handling
• Design, install and operate to optimize energy efficiency
• Minimize emissions during refrigerator manufacture

FIRE SUPPRESSION

• Provide fire suppression products with high reliability and a goal of zero emissions except when used against fire
• Endorse rigorous standards in fire suppression system design, installation, commissioning, inspection and maintenance
• Provide advanced fire detection and extinguishing systems that minimize discharges
• Minimize emissions from testing and training; eliminate emissions where possible
• Recover, recycle, and reclaim fire extinguishants

PROPELLANTS

• Use HFC propellants where they promote health, environmental, technical, or economical advantage
• Handle by well-trained personnel
• Minimize losses during filling of containers

PRODUCING HFCS

• Ensure worker and community safety by employing the highest standards of corporate responsibility
• Ensure product safety at all phases of manufacturing and during transport and storage
• Target zero fugitive emissions in plant design
• Minimize coproduct emissions where technically and economically feasible
• Encourage users to recover and recycle
• Promote destruction of unusable HFCs
• Market HFCs to those applications that provide health, safety, environmental, technical, or economic benefit, or unique societal benefits
• Publish fluorocarbon production and sales data to support global modeling of atmospheric concentration profiles

FOAM INSULATION

• Provide safe and energy efficient insulation products to meet societal needs for energy conservation and to minimize carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions
• Promote the reuse of insulation where technically and economically feasible to minimize end-of-life emissions
• Minimize foam insulation manufacturing emissions based on commercially viable technology

Note: We have a professionally-designed printed brochure available that contains this same text. If you would like to obtain a copy of the printed version, please contact us and we will be happy to send one to you.