WRITTEN QUESTION E-0315/02

by Graham Watson (ELDR) to the Commission

(12 February 2002)

Subject: Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on substances that deplete the ozone layer

What scientific evidence exists to justify the removal of insulation material from domestic refrigerators and freezers before disposal of the appliances?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(9 April 2002)

Old used domestic refrigerators and freezers are likely to contain ozone depleting substances such as chlorofluorcarbons (CFCs) in both the cooling circuit and in the rigid insulating foam used in the construction of the storage cabinet. When CFCs are discussed in relation to the cold appliance sector attention is often focussed on the refrigerant, but in reality more CFCs were used as the foam-blowing agent in the production of the rigid insulating foam. It is estimated that in a domestic refrigerator the average refrigerant charge in the cooling circuit is about 170 grams (25 % of the total CFC in the refrigerator) compared to around 510 grams in the insulating foam (75 % of the total CFC).

It is difficult to obtain exact data on the number of domestic refrigerators and freezers that is coming into the waste stream each year and which are containing CFCs. However, it is estimated that the stock of domestic cold appliances in (refrigerators, combined refrigerator and deep freeze and deep freeze) in the Community is around 230 million units.

This is based on the following calculation:

- Number of households in the Community ± 150 million;

- All households have either a fridge or combined fridge and deep freeze = 150 million units;

- 50 % of households have a deep freeze = 75 million units;

- Estimated 5 million units in hotels, shops, restaurants, offices etc;

- Grand Total = 230 million units(1).

If it is assumed that such appliances are replaced every 10 years and in some Member States this is more often, then around 23 million domestic cold appliances are entering the waste stream each year. Given that most of the refrigerators and freezers now entering the waste stream will have been produced prior to 1995 before manufacturers stopped using CFCs in such products, it can be assumed that most of them contain CFCs. On the basis of 680 grams of CFC per unit the total amount of CFCs that could be recovered from cold appliances is estimated at around 15 640 tonnes. If a recovery rate of 80 % based on best practice is assumed, around 12 512 tonnes of CFCs could be recovered.

The basis of the calculation is:

- Stock of domestic cold appliances in the Community: 230 million;

- Replacement rate per year 10 % (average life of cold appliance 10 years);

- Number of fridges replaced per year = 23 million (10 % of 230 million);

- CFC per unit = 680 grams;

- Total potential recovery = (23 000 000 × 680) / 1 000 = 15 640 000 kg = 15 640 tonnes;

- Recovery with 80 % rate = 12 512 tonnes.

This recovery potential of 15 640 tonnes has to be seen in the context of overall Commission policy to phase out CFCs. In 1999 Community production of all CFCs, excluding non-dispersive uses such as feedstock (CFCs used to produce other chemicals, mainly teflon, where the CFC is entirely changed from its original composition) amounted to around 31 000 tonnes, most of it for export to developing countries for their basic domestic needs and essential uses. In the Community the use of CFCs is now prohibited in most applications. There is an exemption for a number of essential uses, such as metered dose inhalers used by asthma patients that authorises the use of around 3 600 tonnes per annum. But, even such exemptions are progressively being reduced. In addition, developing countries are now in the process of their phase-out of CFCs which should be completed by 2010.

All these efforts are being undertaken to protect the ozone layer when it is at a critical stage in its recovery. A recent assessment Report on European research in the stratosphere concluded that developments in relation to the ozone layer are still of major concern. The main findings conclude that first, large ozone losses have occurred in the Arctic during each of the five coldest winters since 1993/1994. Secondly, stratospheric ozone amounts over mainland Europe that started to decline in the 1970s, with bigger decreases (5-10 % in the ozone column) occurring in winter and spring seasons have led to increases in biologically active ultraviolet (UV) at the ground, in line with the reduced ozone amounts. Such developments have important negative impacts on human health such as increased skin cancers and a reduction in immune responses and also on sensitive eco-systems. Full ozone recovery can only be expected when the chlorine amounts in the atmosphere return to pre-ozone hole levels in 50 or so years but there is concern that this recovery could be compromised by the impact of climate change and other trace gases on the stratosphere.

The Community is committed through its Regulation (EC) No 2037/2000 of the Parliament and of the Council of 29 June 2000 on substances that deplete the ozone layer(2) in implementing its obligations under the Montreal Protocol, an international agreement based on scientific evidence. In this context, the Commission believes that there are sound scientific and environmental reasons for making cost-effective efforts to recover and to destroy CFCs. It is necessary, therefore, in conformity

with Article 16 of Regulation (EC) No 2037/2000, to ensure that CFCs are recovered and destroyed, including from the foam in domestic refrigerators and freezers. There are proven commercial technologies for extracting the CFC from insulating foam which are being used in at least eight Member States.

Establishing recovery facilities to process the waste stream of domestic refrigerators and freezers is a long-term investment. As indicated, many of the domestic refrigerators and freezers entering the waste stream currently contain CFCs. Their replacements could contain Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), also a controlled substance, and more recently Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), a potent greenhouse gas controlled by the Kyoto Protocol, which should also be recovered. Such recovery facilities would also eventually facilitate implementation of the proposed Directive(3) of the Parliament and of the Council on waste electrical and electronic equipment.

(1) Source: Eurostat.

(2) OJ L 244, 29.9.2000.

(3) OJ L 244, 29.9.2000.