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COMMISSION OFTHEEUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
COM(82)307 final
Brussels/7June1982
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COMMUNICATION FROMTHECOMMISSION TOTHECOUNCIL
Chlorofluorocarbons intheenvironment ;
ProgressreportoftheapplicationofCommunityPolicy
COM(82)307final

COMMUNICATION FROMTHECOMMISSION TOTHECOUNCIL
Chtorofluorocarbons intheenvironment :Progressreportoftheapplication
ofCommunityPolicy
I.Introduction
II.Currentscientific situation
III.Economicdata
IV.Theactionprogrammeinthesectorsofrefrigeration /foamplastics
andsolvents.

I. INTRODUCTION
TheemissionofChLorofluorocarbons (CFCs)intotheatmosphere isa
potentialsourceofdisturbance totheatmosphere'sequilibrium .
Communitypolicyinthisareahasfocusedonprecautionary measures
thatseekabalancebetweenthepossibledangerouseffectonmanand
theenvironment andthesocioeconomic impactsofreducingtheuse
ofCFCs.
ThestepsofCommunitypolicyhavebeenuntilnowthefollowing :
1.CouncilResolution of30May1978(1);
2.CouncilDecisionof26March1980(2)
TheCommission hassenttotheCouncil anumberofCommunications on
thismatter,thelastoneon26May1981.ThatCommunication (3),con­
cerningchlorofluorocarbons intheenvironment,containedinformation
andabasisforevaluationforthepursuitofCommunitypolicy.That
Communication reviewedtheavailablescientific andeconomicdataand
gaveorientations towardfurthermeasurestobetakenatCommunitylevel
FollowingthedebateoftheMinistersoftheEnvironment on11June1981
theCommission submitted on8October1981aproposalforadraftdecision
oritheconsolidation ofprecautionary measuresconcerning chlorofluoro-
carbonsintheenvironment (4).
Finally,theCouncilauthorized theCommission (5)toparticipate on
behalfoftheCommunityinthenegotiations fortheelaboration ofa
frameworkconventionfortheprotection oftheozonelayerintheframe­
workofUNEP.Onepreparatory meetingtookplaceinStockholm on
20-29January1982.
TheaimofthepresentCommunication istoreportontheprogressmadeto
dateontheapplication ofCommunitypolicyinthisarea.Thetopics
treatedwillincludethecurrentscientificsituation,therelevanteco­
nomicdataandtheactionprogrammeinthesectorsofrefrigeration ,
foamplasticsandsolvents ..
(1)0JC133,7«,6.1973
(2)Decisión8Q/372/EEC-0JL90,3.4.1980
(3)COM(81)261,26.5.1981
(4)OJG269,21.10.1981
(5)DecisionoftheCouncilof19.1,1982(4132/82EIIY4)

-2-
II.CURRENTSCIENTIFIC SITUATION
UndertheUnitedNationsEnvronerntvcProgramme »UNEP)theCoordinating
Committee ontheOzoneLayer(CCOL)metinCopenhagen 12-16October1931
foritsfifthsession.
TheCommitteeconcludedthatariskofdepletionoftheozonelayerdue
tochlorofluorocarbon releasesisstillmostlikely,althoughnatural
variations andothercompoundswhichmayaffectozone,requireinceased
consideration .Ifoneconsidersonlychlorofluorocarbons 11and12releases
attheirpresentrate^,currentmodelcalculations estimateaneventual
ozonereductionintherangeof5to10percent,comparedtoabout10
percentestimatedinthe1980CCOLreport,and15%intheir1979report.
Thereport(1)oftheCommission workshopontheevaluationoftheeffects
ofchlorofluorocarbons onatmospheric ozoneheldinBrusselsin
January1981alsosupportsthesefindings.
Ifreleasesofotherchlorinecontaining tracegasesarecontinuedat
presentrates,thentheycouldincreasetheeventualozonedepletion due
toCFC11and12alonebyaboutonethird.Theestimateofthepresent
totalcolumnozonedepletionislessthanonepercent,whichisbelow
thepresentdetectionlimit.
Inaddition,multiplescenariomodelssuggestthatthedistortionofthe
verticalozoneprofilemightbecomemoreimportantthanphangesinthe
totalamountwithrespecttopossibleclimaticconsequences .
Inconclusion,theprogressmadeinthephotochemical theoryofrtrato-
sphericozoneandinobservations hasnotchangedsubstantially the
uncertainties .Inthecurrentscientificsituation achangeinthepolicy
ofprecautionary measuresthattheCommunity haspursuedsofarisnot
advisable . > l
<1)WorkshopReport"EvaluationoftheEffectsofChlorofluorocarbons on
Atmospheric Ozone:PresentStatusof.Research",CEC,Brussels,\ov<>1981.
(Doo.XIl/CLI/9/81)

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m-ECONOMIC DATA
Since1976,theCommission hasbeenreceivingtotalCommunityannual
figuresofproductionandsalesofCFC11and12,whichtheEuropean
chloroflurocarbon producersprovideusingtheCFCdatacollection
mechanismdescribedintheCommunication of26May1981.
Thedataforthefiveyearssince1976arepresentedinAnnexI„The
mostsignificantfigureinthistableisthesalein1981of1.6,139tonnesof
CFC11and12foraerosolusewhichis34.4%lessthanthe1976figlire
of176.914.Thus,thereductionof30%soughtbytheCouncildecision
80/372/EECtobeachievedbytheendof1981byeachMemberState
hasbeenachievedandsurpassedfortheCommunity asawhole.Itshould
alsobepointedoutthatthisgoalhasbeenexceededir.spiteofthe
factthatthe1981figureincludesthecontribution fromGreece,while
thefiguresforthepreviousyearsdonot.
Someotherfiguresalsowarrantmention.ThesalesofCFC11and12for
refrigeration ,foamplasticsandsolventsandotherusesreached
93,626tonqesin1981,anincreaseof40%,since1976^andhaveevolved
from28%in1976.to45%ofallsalesforaerosol ,andnon-aerosol uses.
Finally,theproduction ofCFC11and12includingimportsreached
300.144tonnesin1981,adecreaseof8»1%since1976,whilethetotal
saleswere209.765tonnesin1981,adecreaseof14%since1976.
These1981figuresagainincludethecontribution fromGreece.
Usingthesamedatacollection mechanismithasbeenreportedthatthe
totalproduction ofCFC113and114intheEECwaslessthan45,000
tonnesin1981.

-u-
IV.THEACTIONPROGRAMME INTHESECTORSOFREFRIGERATION ,FOAMPLASTY:S
ANDSOLVENTS
TheCommunication of26May1981outlinedtheactionprogramme onthe
reductionofemissionsofchLorofluorocarbons inthesectorsofrefri­
geration,foamplasticsandsolvents.Thisprogramme wasconsidered ne­
cessarybecause,asthelateststatistics show,therehasbeenaserious
increaseintheuseofCFCsinsectorsotherthanaerosols.
Theactionprogramme hasbeentakingplacewiththehelpofnationalexperts
andrepresentatives ofindustry.Theresultsexpectedineachcaseare:
a)Refrigeration ;Acodeofgoodpracticeisunderpreparation onthe
design,manufacture,useandservicingofrefrigeration equipment,
andthereclamation ofrefrigerants .
Thiscodeisintendedtobeappliedbytherelevantindustries and
userswiththespecificaimofreducingthelossesofCFCs.
b)Flexibleandrigidfoamplastics;Researchprojectstakingplacein
theCommunity ontherecoveryofCFCsfromplantventilation airby
theabsorption onactivecarbonduringthemanufacture offlexible
foamarebeingcoordinated .Thisisexpectedtoleadeventually tothe
designofapilotplantutilizingthisimprovedcleanertechnology .
Thepossibilities forreducingtheuseofCFCsinthemanufacture and
conversionofrigidfoamsandmethodsforproperdisposalprocedures
ofthesefoamsarebeinginvestigated .Forflexiblefoamstheuseof
"soft"polyolstoreduceCFCusageaswellastheuseofalternative
blowingagentssuch-asmethylenechloridearebeingexamined.
.I
c)Solvents:Acodeofgoodpracticeonthedesign,manufacture,useand
servicingofequipmentinwhichCFCsare;beingusedassolventsis
beingpreparedforapplication bytheappropriate industries.

AnnexI
CFC11&12PRODUCTION ANDSALESBYEECPRODUCERS :1976-1981
TonnesCFCs11&12
1976 1977 1978 1979 19801981;
PRODUCTION' 1 326433319107307033304238295718300144
(includingimports)
Changefrom1976 -tes -7326-19400-22195-30715-26289
-% -2,2-5,9-6,8-9,4~8,1
SALESINEECMARKETS'
(excludingsalesto
co-producers )
AEROSOLS 176914162568150424136552126442116139
Changefrom1976 –tes -14346-26490-40362-50472-60775
-% ~M-15,0-22,8-28,5-34,4
REFRIGERATION 207732029320416203002117421451
....Changefrom1976 –tes 480 357 473+401+678
-% -2,3-1,7~2,3+1,9+3,3
FOAMPLASTICS 421544525454524557886185964067
Changefrom1976 «tes +310Q+12370+13634+19705+21913
-*-+7,4+29,3+32,3+46,7+52,0
.SOLVENTS/OTHERUSES 417848716073692173538108
Changefrom1976 -t <!·693+1895+2743+.3175+3930
-% +16,6+45,4+65,7+76,0+94,1.
TOTALSALESINEEC 244019232986231437219561216828209765
Change-from1976 –tes -11033-125S2-24458-27191-34254
; -X -4,5-5,2-10,0-11,1-14,0
TOTALEXPORTSOUTSIDE EEC 835788118782236816367936188243
Changefrom1976-tes -2391-1342-1942-4217+4665
-% -2,9-1,6-2,3-5,0+5,6
TOTALEECANDEXPORTSALES 327597314173313673301197296189298008
Changefrom1976 «tes -13424-13924-26400-31408-29589
-% -4,1-4,3-8,1-9,6-9,0
PRODUCTION LESSSALES -1164-4934-6640+3041 471+2136
Note;The1981dataincludesGreecewhereastheearlieryearsdonot!