Ozone-depleting substances 2018 : aggregated data reported by companies on the import, export, production, destruction, feedstock and process agent use of ozone-depleting substances in the European Union, 2006-2017.
Date: 2018-09-14
Institutions: European Environment Agency
Subjects: EU environmental policy, dangerous substance, environmental law, environmental protection, reduction of gas emissions, report, stratospheric pollutant, stratospheric pollution

EEA Report  No 10/2018

Ozone-depleting substances 2018
Aggregated data reported by companies on the import, export, production, 
destruction, feedstock and process agent use of ozone-depleting substances 
in the European Union, 2006-2017

ISSN 1977-8449

EEA Report  No 10/2018

Ozone-depleting substances 2018
Aggregated data reported by companies on the import, export, production, 
destruction, feedstock and process agent use of ozone-depleting substances 
in the European Union, 2006-2017

Cover design: EEA
Cover photo: © Patrick Copley

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The contents of this publication do not necessarily reflect the official opinions of the European Commission or other 
institutions of the European Union. Neither the European Environment Agency nor any person or company acting on 
behalf of the Agency is responsible for the use that may be made of the information contained in this report. 

Copyright notice
© European Environment Agency, 2018
Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged.

More information on the European Union is available on the Internet (http://europa.eu).

Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2018

ISBN 978-92-9213-970-4
ISSN 1977-8449
doi:10.2800/53760

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Contents

Contents

Acknowledgements .................................................................................................................... 4

Executive summary .................................................................................................................... 5

1 

Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 8

1.1  Background .............................................................................................................................. 8

1.2  Report structure ...................................................................................................................... 8

1.3 

Institutional arrangements .................................................................................................... 8

1.4  Reporting procedure ............................................................................................................... 8

1.5  Data used ................................................................................................................................. 9

1.6  Terminology ............................................................................................................................. 9

1.7  Confidentiality ........................................................................................................................ 10

2  Aggregation results ............................................................................................................. 11

2.1  Methodology .......................................................................................................................... 11

2.2 

Imports of controlled substances .......................................................................................13

2.3  Exports of controlled substances ........................................................................................14

2.4  Production of controlled substances ..................................................................................15

2.5  Destruction of ozone-depleting substances ......................................................................16

2.6  Consumption of controlled substances .............................................................................18

2.7  Feedstock use of controlled substances ............................................................................19

2.8  Use of controlled substances as process agents ..............................................................20

2.9  New substances ..................................................................................................................... 21

List of abbreviations ................................................................................................................. 23

References ................................................................................................................................. 25

Annex 1 Data tables .................................................................................................................. 26

Annex 2 Measures to protect confidential data ................................................................... 30

3

Ozone-depleting substances 2018Acknowledgements

Acknowledgements

This report was prepared for the European 
Environment Agency (EEA) by its European 
Topic Centre for Air Pollution and Climate 
Change Mitigation (ETC/ACM). The authors are 
David Behringer and Felix Heydel (ETC/ACM partner 
Öko-Recherche GmbH).

The EEA report coordinator is Peder Gabrielsen 
and the ETC/ACM task manager is Felix Heydel 
(Öko Recherche GmbH). François Dejean (EEA) and 
the European Commission Directorate-General 
for Climate Action are thanked for their support 
in finalising the report.

4

Ozone-depleting substances 2018Executive summary

Executive summary

The EU continues to phase out 
ozone-depleting substances and 
is meeting its commitments under 
the Montreal Protocol

In 1989, the Montreal Protocol on Substances that 
Deplete the Ozone Layer entered into force. Its 
objective is to protect the stratospheric ozone layer 
by phasing out the production of ozone-depleting 
substances (ODS). The protocol covers over 
200 individual substances with a high ozone-depleting 
potential (ODP), including chlorofluorocarbons 
(CFCs), halons, carbon tetrachloride (CTC), 
1,1,1-Trichloroethane (TCA), hydrochlorofluorocarbons 
(HCFCs), hydrobromofluorocarbons (HBFCs), 
bromochloromethane (BCM) and methyl bromide (MB), 
all of which are referred to as 'controlled substances'.

Within the European Union (EU), the use of and 
trade in controlled substances is regulated by 
Regulation (EC) No 1005/2009 (known as the ODS 
Regulation). This regulation stipulates that each 
company producing controlled substances, importing 
them into and/or exporting them out of the EU, as 
well as feedstock users, process agent users and 
destruction facilities, must report their activities 
concerning controlled substances annually. The 
ODS Regulation also encompasses five additional 
substances that are not covered by the Montreal 
Protocol but have an ODP (these are referred to as 
'new substances'). Producers, importers and exporters 
have to report their activities for new substances. 
These new substances are halon 1202, methyl chloride 
(MC), ethyl bromide (EB), trifluoroiodomethane (TFIM) 
and n-propyl bromide (n-PB).

The 2018 edition of the European Environment 
Agency (EEA) report on ODS confirms that the EU has 
already achieved its goals on the phase-out of such 
substances under the Montreal Protocol. In particular, 
the report shows that in 2017, the consumption of ODS 
(an aggregated parameter that integrates imports, 
exports, production and destruction of ODS, except 
those for feedstock use) in the EU remained negative 
(- 4 080 metric tonnes), at a level similar to that of 2016. 
This means that every year since 2010 (except in 2012), 

more ODS were destroyed or exported than produced 
or imported. These negative values are the result of the 
phase-out according to Regulation (EC) No 1005/2009, 
which, in many aspects, goes further than the Montreal 
Protocol, in combination with rather high destruction 
rates and decreasing stocks. Companies in the EU have 
been consuming relatively small amounts of ODS under 
the Montreal Protocol.

Although relatively stable compared to 2016, the 
consumption of controlled substances in 2017 was 
slightly lower (in absolute terms), due to increased 
imports, decreased exports and reduced destruction 
levels. More details on 2017 transfers of controlled 
substances in the EU are provided in the following 
paragraphs.

Imports of controlled substances

In 2017, imports of controlled substances into 
the EU amounted to 6 287 metric tonnes, which 
represents a 23 % increase compared with 2016. 
This was the first increase observed since 2011. The 
imported controlled substances were almost entirely 
virgin substances and 58 % of the quantities were 
imported from China. Almost half of the imported 
virgin quantities were HCFCs. Controlled substances 
were mostly imported for feedstock use. Imports of 
non-virgin controlled substances amounted to less than 
1 % of total imports.

Expressed in ODP tonnes, imports of CTC, CFCs 
and halons were largest.

Exports of controlled substances

In 2017, exports of controlled virgin substances from 
the EU continued to decline. These exports amounted 
to 6 371 metric tonnes, an 18 % decrease compared 
with 2016. The largest exported quantities were 
of HCFCs either previously imported or produced 
in the EU (79 % of total exports) and CTCs produced 
in the EU. Virgin HCFCs were mostly exported for 
feedstock and refrigeration, and CTCs were almost 
exclusively exported for feedstock use and, to a very 

5

Ozone-depleting substances 2018Executive summary

Figure ES.1 

Consumption of controlled substances within the EU

Metric tonnes and ODP tonnes

30 000

25 000

20 000

15 000

10 000

5 000

 0

- 5 000

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

Metric tonnes

ODP tonnes

Note: 

The calculation of the consumption of controlled substances under the Montreal Protocol excludes non-virgin imports and exports, 
substances intended for feedstock and process agent use, as well as new substances.

Sources:  EC, 2010, 2011; EEA, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018.

small extent, for laboratory use. As with imports, 
controlled non-virgin substances were exported out of 
the EU to a much lesser extent than controlled virgin 
substances, amounting to 9 % of total exports when 
expressed in metric tonnes.

of the produced quantity in metric tonnes). The 
production for other uses, which is the one accounted 
for in the estimation of the consumption of controlled 
substances (see below), actually decreased by 30 % 
in 2017 compared with 2016.

Expressed in ODP tonnes, exports of HCFCs and 
CTC were largest.

Destruction of controlled substances

Production of controlled substances

In 2017, the production of controlled substances in 
the EU amounted to 178 196 metric tonnes, a 6 % 
increase compared with 2016. This included mostly 
HCFCs, CTC and TCA that were almost exclusively 
intended for feedstock use (96 % of the produced 
quantity in metric tonnes). Only minor quantities of 
halons, HBFCs and BCM, and no CFCs or MB, were 
produced. Expressed in ODP tonnes, production of 
CTC and HCFCs was largest (72 % and 15 % of total 
production, respectively).

Controlled substances were produced almost 
exclusively for feedstock use inside the EU (96 % 

In 2017, a total of 5 749 metric tonnes of controlled 
substances was destroyed, a 26 % decrease 
compared with 2016. The largest quantities destroyed 
were of CTC, CFCs and HCFCs (72 %, 15 % and 13 % 
of total destruction, respectively). Expressed in ODP 
tonnes, the largest quantities destroyed were of 
CTC and CFCs (83 % and 16 % of total production, 
respectively).

Consumption of controlled substances

Consumption is an aggregated parameter calculated 
for data reported under the Montreal Protocol. It 
integrates the statistics on import, export, production 
and destruction of controlled substances into one 
single metric, excluding non-virgin imports and exports. 

6

Ozone-depleting substances 2018Executive summary

Amounts that are produced for feedstock and process 
agent use are not included in the consumption, which is 
in line with the calculations applied under the Montreal 
Protocol. 

In 2017, process agent use amounted to 324 metric 
tonnes, an 11 % decrease compared with 2016. This 
predominantly comprised CTC and CFC-12. The amount 
of controlled substances used as process agents 
amounted to 0.2 % of the total production.

In brief, consumption is calculated as:

Consumption = 
production + imports – exports – destruction.

In 2017, the consumption of controlled substances 
amounted to - 4 080 metric tonnes, a similar level to 
2016. The consumption of controlled substances has 
been negative every year since 2010, except in 2012. 

Expressed in ODP tonnes, consumption amounted 
to - 3 908 ODP tonnes, a 5 % increase compared 
with 2016.

Feedstock use of controlled substances

A number of ODS serve as feedstock for the 
manufacture of other products such as refrigerants, 
foam blowing agents, polymers, pharmaceuticals 
and agricultural chemicals. In 2017, feedstock use 
amounted to 177 907 tonnes, an 8 % increase 
compared with 2016. This predominantly comprised 
HCFCs (69 % of total use), CTC and TCA. 

Expressed in ODP tonnes, CTC, HCFCs and halons 
represented the largest quantities used for feedstock.

In 2017, the emission rate from feedstock uses 
was 0.03 %. The 2017 average emission rate was 
slightly lower than the emission rate in 2016 and much 
lower than the emission rate for earlier years. This 
appears to point towards improvements in emission 
control by industry.

Process agent use

A process agent is a substance that either facilitates or 
inhibits a chemical reaction in an industrial process. 

Expressed in ODP tonnes, CTC and CFC-12 were also 
the main substances used as process agents.

Emissions from process agent uses increased to 1.3 %. 
They stayed well below restrictions imposed by both 
the Montreal Protocol and the ODS Regulation.

New substances

The ODS Regulation is more stringent than the rules 
of the Montreal Protocol and additionally encompasses 
new substances (halon 1202, n-PB, EB, TFIM and 
MC). In 2017, the production of new substances 
amounted to 1 099 539 metric tonnes, a 4 % increase 
compared with 2016. This predominantly comprised 
MC (99.6 % of total production), nPB and EB.

Expressed in ODP tonnes, the production of MC was 
also largest (98 % of total production).

The production of new substances was almost 
exclusively for feedstock use.

In 2017, the production of new substances 
was over six times higher than the production 
of controlled substances expressed in metric 
tonnes. However, when expressed in ODP tonnes, 
the production of new substances accounted 
for 32 % of both controlled and new substances 
in the same year.

In 2017, as in previous years, quantities of new 
substances imported and exported were small 
compared with other controlled substances. In the 
same year, imports of new substances increased by 
108 %, while exports increased by 39 % relative to 2016, 
when expressed in metric tonnes.

7

Ozone-depleting substances 2018Introduction

1 

Introduction

1.1  Background

In 1989, the Montreal Protocol on Substances that 
Deplete the Ozone Layer entered into force. Its 
objective is to protect the stratospheric ozone layer 
by phasing out the production of ozone-depleting 
substances (ODS). The protocol covers over 
200 individual substances with a high ozone-depleting 
potential (ODP), including chlorofluorocarbons 
(CFCs), halons, carbon tetrachloride (CTC), 
1,1,1-Trichloroethane (TCA), hydrochlorofluorocarbons 
(HCFCs), hydrobromofluorocarbons (HBFCs), 
bromochloromethane (BCM) and methyl bromide (MB), 
all of which are referred to as 'controlled substances'.

Within the European Union (EU), the use of and 
trade in controlled substances is regulated by 
Regulation (EC) No 1005/2009 (known as the 
ODS Regulation) (EC, 2009). This regulation stipulates 
that each company producing controlled substances, 
importing them into and/or exporting them out of the 
EU, as well as feedstock users, process agent users 
and destruction facilities, must report their activities 
concerning controlled substances annually. The ODS 
Regulation also encompasses five additional substances 
that are not covered by the Montreal Protocol but have 
an ODP (these are referred to as 'new substances'; see 
Section 1.6). Producers, importers and exporters have 
to report their activities for new substances. These 
new substances are halon 1202, methyl chloride (MC), 
ethyl bromide (EB), trifluoroiodomethane (TFIM) and 
n-propyl bromide (n-PB).

The data reported on production, import and export 
are presented to parties of the Montreal Protocol, 
so that compliance with the Montreal Protocol and 
progress in phasing out ODS can be monitored. The EU 
has already achieved its phase-out goals under the 
Montreal Protocol and is currently mostly reporting 
exempted, essential and critical uses of ODS.

This document summarises the most recent data 
(covering 2017) reported by companies under the 
ODS Regulation and looks at the trends since 2006 
(EC, 2010, 2011; EEA, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 
2017, 2018). Data for the period 2012-2016 were also 
updated, based on the reports resubmitted after the 

reporting deadlines for these years. Data tables in 
Annex 1 provide additional details.

Results are expressed in both metric tonnes and ODP 
tonnes. The observed trends can differ significantly 
depending on the unit used. Controlled substances 
with a high ODP (e.g. CFCs and CTC) exhibit a different 
trend from those with a low ODP (e.g. HCFCs).

1.2  Report structure

This report contains background information and 
information on institutional arrangements, the 
reporting procedure and key terminology (Chapter 1). 
The aggregation results and the methodology used are 
summarised in Chapter 2. Results are included for the 
following ODS (controlled substances) transactions: 
production, import, export, consumption, destruction, 
feedstock use and process agent use. Production, 
import and export data of new substances are also 
presented.

1.3 

Institutional arrangements

In 2018, companies reported on 2017 activities, 
which was the seventh reporting year under the ODS 
Regulation. Since the reporting year 2011, the European 
Environment Agency (EEA) has been responsible 
for collecting, archiving, checking and aggregating 
information contained in the companies' reports. The 
EEA also supports the undertakings in fulfilling their 
reporting obligations.

Since 2012, technical support to the ODS reporting 
process has been provided by the EEA's European Topic 
Centre on Air Pollution and Climate Change Mitigation 
(ETC/ACM). In previous years, collection, quality control, 
analysis and support were performed by consultants 
under service contracts with the European Commission.

1.4  Reporting procedure

Since 2012, reporting on ODS has been performed 
via an online platform, the Business Data Repository 

8

Ozone-depleting substances 2018Introduction

(BDR; see https://bdr.eionet.europa.eu). This 
multilingual online platform is a password-protected 
environment that hosts, among other things, an 
online questionnaire for submission of the company 
reports under the ODS Regulation. It ensures that 
reporting by companies is documented transparently, 
while providing the required level of security and 
confidentiality of the reported data. Reporters received 
support both for the reporting procedure and for 
technical questions from the EEA and the ETC/ACM 
support team, and via manuals and additional guidance 
documents.

Data reported by companies were subject to 
automated and manual quality checks. The latter 
were carried out by the ETC/ACM support staff. 
Reporters also have the option to autonomously run 
the automated quality-checking procedure, in order to 
check their questionnaire before submission. Where 
necessary, reporters were contacted to submit a 
revised report via the BDR. This process was repeated 
until submissions passed all quality checks.

The ODS Regulation sets the reporting deadline as 
31 March of each year. Based on information available 
on companies present in the market of ODS, the EEA 
sent out invitation emails in February 2017, reminding 
companies of their reporting obligations under the 
ODS Regulation. Invited companies that considered 
themselves exempt from the reporting obligation 
of the ODS Regulation were asked to communicate 
these circumstances using the online questionnaire. 
They were thus requested to submit a NIL report (1) 
in which they explicitly indicated why they considered 
themselves not covered by the reporting obligation.

In total, 201 companies responded to the invitation to 
report. Of these, 35 companies sent in a NIL report and 
166 companies submitted an ODS report containing data. 
Submissions were received from 20 February 2018. Most 
companies submitting an ODS report were located in the 
larger Member States, notably France, Germany, Italy, 
Spain and the United Kingdom.

1.5  Data used

This report focuses on transactions that occurred 
during 2017, which were due to be submitted by 
the reporting deadline of 31 March 2018, while 
depicting trends and presenting data over the period 
2006-2017 (2). Data are reported every year and, at 
the same time as submitting their data, companies 
have the opportunity to resubmit reports of previous 
transaction years in order to correct reporting errors.

Data submitted by companies are commercially 
confidential and a number of rigorous measures have 
been applied to prevent sensitive information being 
made available. These measures are explained in detail 
in Annex 2.

1.6  Terminology

This section presents the key terminology used 
throughout the document.

1.6.1  Ozone-depleting substances

ODS are substances, mainly compounds containing 
chlorine and/or bromine, that reach the stratosphere 
of the Earth and whose breakdown products react 
with the stratospheric ozone. This reduces the 
concentration levels of ozone in that region of the 
atmosphere (commonly known as the ozone layer) and 
thus the capacity of the atmosphere to filter ultraviolet 
light. Most known ODS are regulated under the 
Montreal Protocol.

1.6.2  Controlled substances

Controlled substances are ODS that are listed in Annex I 
of the ODS Regulation and are subject to the reporting 
obligation of Article 7 of the Montreal Protocol.

1.6.3  Mixtures

Throughout this report, the term 'mixtures' refers to 
gas mixtures consisting of multiple substances, at least 
one of which is a controlled substance. Destruction 
facilities are required to report the quantities of 
individual substances destroyed each year. In certain 
cases, however, companies were only able to report on 
the destruction of mixtures of controlled substances 
with an unknown composition. Therefore, these 
mixtures are not included in the data presented in this 
document and are not reported under the Montreal 
Protocol.

1.6.4  New substances

The term 'new substances' refers to the five additional 
substances covered by the ODS Regulation that 
are not included within the scope of the Montreal 
Protocol: halon 1202, n-propyl bromide (n-PB), ethyl 
bromide (EB), trifluoroiodomethane (TFIM) and methyl 

(1)  See Section 1.6 for an explanation of the term 'NIL report'. 
(2)  Production data are available from 2000 onwards; therefore, trends extend back to that year for production.

9

Ozone-depleting substances 2018Introduction

chloride (MC). Companies in the EU are obliged to 
report on the import, export and production of these 
substances in line with the ODS Regulation's higher 
level of ambition than that of the Montreal Protocol. 
New substances should not be confused with virgin 
substances (see below).

the process cycle for the first time. For feedstock and 
process agent uses of controlled substances, make-up 
has to be reported, including the emissions generated 
during their use.

1.6.11  NIL report

1.6.5  Virgin substances

These are substances that have been produced and 
have not been previously used. Newly produced 
substances are, by definition, virgin.

Invited companies that consider themselves exempt 
from the reporting obligation of the ODS Regulation 
were asked to confirm these circumstances by 
submitting a 'Not obliged to report' (referred to as a 
NIL report) via the BDR.

1.6.6  Non-virgin substances

1.6.12  Ozone-depleting potential

These are substances that have been previously 
used and subsequently recovered from products and 
equipment, and/or been recycled or reclaimed.

1.6.7  Unintentional by-production

Unintentional by-production of controlled substances 
usually involves volumes that are taken out of the 
process cycle and are, at least temporarily, stored 
(e.g. in a buffer tank) before being destroyed, used, 
placed on the market, exported or sent for destruction 
in a facility outside the production site.

The ozone-depleting potential (ODP) of a substance 
refers to the relative amount of ozone depletion 
caused by it. It is the ratio of the impact on ozone of 
the emission of a chemical substance to the impact 
of a similar emission by mass of CFC-11. The quantity 
in metric tonnes of a particular controlled substance 
is multiplied by its ODP to give its overall potential to 
deplete the ozone layer. The ODPs of controlled and 
new substances are listed in Annexes I and II of the 
ODS Regulation. Some new substances have a range, 
rather than a single ODP value. In this report, the 
highest value of the ODP value range is used.

1.6.8 

Feedstock

A number of ODS serve as chemical building blocks for 
the manufacture of other chemicals (i.e. as 'feedstock'). 
They are used (directly or indirectly) for the 
manufacture of a diverse range of products including 
refrigerants, foam blowing agents, solvents, polymers, 
pharmaceuticals and agricultural chemicals.

1.6.9  Process agent

A process agent is a substance that either facilitates or 
inhibits a chemical reaction in an industrial process.

1.6.10  Make-up

Make-up is the quantity of virgin, recovered or 
reclaimed controlled substances that has not been 
used in the process cycle before, and that is fed into 

1.6.13  Quarantine and pre-shipment services

Quarantine and pre-shipment service (QPS) 
applications of methyl bromide (MB) are treatments to 
prevent the introduction, establishment and/or spread 
of quarantine pests (including diseases), or to ensure 
their official control.

1.7  Confidentiality

Data reported under the ODS Regulation are protected 
by strict confidentiality provisions. Hence, the EEA 
has applied measures to prevent the deduction of 
commercially sensitive information in this document. 
The measures include the aggregation of data for 
substance groups (where applicable), protection of data 
that are the result of reports from fewer than three 
corporate groups, and additional measures to prevent 
deduction of sensitive information. A detailed account 
of the confidentiality measures applied throughout the 
report is included in Annex 2.

10

Ozone-depleting substances 2018Aggregation results

2  Aggregation results

2.1  Methodology

Production

2.1.1  Data covered by this report

All data for 2017 are taken as reported in the tables 
in the online questionnaire. During the reporting 
year, reports for previous reporting years were 
resubmitted (3). For the reporting years 2012-2016, 
resubmissions were also taken into account and, 
therefore, the data presented here may differ from 
those in previous reports. To protect confidential 
information (see Section 1.7), the reported data are 
aggregated by transaction as follows: import, export, 
production, destruction, consumption, feedstock 
availability and process agent use. Likewise, data on the 
production, import and export of new substances are 
aggregated.

Each of the transactions reported upon is briefly 
described in the following notes.

2.1.2  Metrics for controlled substances

Import

Companies reported the quantity imported for each 
combination of substance, use, customs procedure and 
source country. Where possible from a confidentiality 
perspective, quantities were provided separately for 
each country of origin. The consumption calculation 
takes into account imports of virgin substances only, 
and the aggregation results presented therefore focus 
on such imports.

Export

Reported exports are presented in an aggregated 
form for all ODS. Exports to overseas countries and 
territories were included in the total exports. Where 
possible from a confidentiality perspective, quantities 
were provided separately for each destination country. 
As with imports, the aggregation results focus on 
exports of virgin substances.

Aggregated data on the EU production of controlled 
substances are provided both as a total and for 
the most important uses. The proportion of the 
EU production that is intended for feedstock use over 
time is presented separately.

Production data also include data on unintentional 
by-production.

Destruction

Aggregated data on destruction activities in the EU are 
provided.

The total quantity of ODS destroyed at each company 
was calculated based on:

• 

• 

the quantity of waste produced, purchased or 
imported by the company that was destroyed at 
the company's own destruction facility;

the quantity of waste sent to other destruction 
facilities.

Some companies were only able to report the 
destruction of mixtures. Such quantities were excluded 
from this report (see Section 1.6 for terminology and 
the definition of 'mixtures').

Consumption

Consumption of controlled substances is a key metric 
for the implementation of the Montreal Protocol. It is 
an aggregated metric, calculated from the reported 
data on production, import, export and destruction. 
Amounts that were intended for feedstock and process 
agent use in the EU during 2017 are not included in this 
metric. Similarly, non-virgin imports and exports, as 
well as substances intended for feedstock and process 
agent use, are excluded. This approach for calculating 
consumption is in line with that applied by the 
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Ozone 
Secretariat (UNEP, 2016).

(3)  Companies have the opportunity to resubmit reports for previous reporting cycles to address inconsistencies that span multiple years.

11

Ozone-depleting substances 2018Aggregation results

Consumption is a parameter that gives an idea of the 
presence of ODS in the market and tracks progress 
that has been made in phasing out these chemicals. 
It is calculated for each calendar year, and is mainly 
defined as:

Consumption = 
production + imports – exports – destruction

The result of this formula can be a negative number 
when substances are produced and imported in 
quantities that do not compensate for the amounts 
that are exported or destroyed. This usually happens 
when exports or destruction affect quantities that 
were in the market in previous years (stocks). If the 
parameter is calculated in ODP tonnes — note that 
substances have very different ODP values — a 
negative value is obtained when production/imports 
affect low-ODP substances and exports/destruction 
affect high-ODP substances.

Feedstock use and availability

The reporting obligation of the ODS Regulation 
(which came into force in 2010) allows for a direct 
calculation of the amount of controlled substances 
used as feedstock agents. Therefore, based on the data 
reported, this aggregated value, called feedstock use, is 
available only from 2010 onwards. Prior to that, it was 
only possible to infer feedstock availability, calculated 
as the production for feedstock use in the EU plus the 
imports for feedstock use. While feedstock use sheds 
light on the amounts of controlled substances used 
by feedstock users in the EU, feedstock availability 
highlights the amounts of feedstock available 
on the EU market. A comparison of both metrics allows 
for an assessment of how complete the reporting for 
feedstock uses is.

It is only since the present ODS Regulation came into 
force in 2010 (reporting year 2009) that feedstock 
users have been obliged to report the use of, stocks of 
and emissions from each specific feedstock process. 
Since then it has been possible to calculate the use 
of controlled substances as feedstock directly, as 
companies have to report the make-up and quantities 
destroyed or sent for destruction. Feedstock use in 
the EU (UFDST) is thus calculated as:

UFDST = MFDST + EMFDST + DFDST (4)

where MFDST is the quantity used as make-up for 
feedstock, EMFDST is the emissions of controlled 
substances during their use as feedstock and DFDST is 
the quantity of ODS intended for feedstock use sent to 
a destruction facility by feedstock users.

Before 2009, the availability of feedstock in the 
EU could be determined only by using production, 
import and export statistics. The availability of 
controlled substances for feedstock use in the EU (AFDST) 
is calculated as:

AFDST = PFDST-EU + IFDST

where PFDST-EU is the quantity produced for feedstock 
use inside the EU (5) and IFDST is the quantity imported 
for feedstock use.

In this report, both calculation methods are utilised 
to check compliance with the reporting obligation by 
feedstock users.

Process agent use

Since the reporting year 2001, process agent users in 
the EU have been required to report the consumption 
and emissions of controlled substances resulting 
from their use as process agents. Only the aggregated 
totals of make-up (6) and quantities of emissions are 
presented.

2.1.3  New substances

This report contains aggregated data on the 
production, import and export of the five new 
substances (6). Based on these metrics, the availability 
of new substances on the EU market (ANEW) is 
calculated as:

ANEW = PNEW + INEW – ENEW

where PNEW, INEW and ENEW relate to the quantities of 
new substances produced, imported and exported, 
respectively.

(4)  A similar calculation was carried out in the five previous annual summary reports, although, in the previous reports, UFDST was calculated as 

MFDST + EMFDST – DFDST.

(5)  Producers report amounts produced for feedstock in the EU and outside the EU separately.
(6)  See Section 1.6 for terminology and the definitions of 'make-up' and 'new substances'.

12

Ozone-depleting substances 2018 
 
 
Aggregation results

2.2 

Imports of controlled substances

2.2.1 

Imports of controlled virgin substances

Imports of controlled virgin substances into the 
EU have shown a general decline over the years 
since 2007 (Figure 2.1). From 2012 to 2016, imports 
of controlled virgin substances have declined by an 
average of 14 %. 

In 2017, imports amounted to 6 287 metric tonnes, an 
increase of 23 % compared with 2016. The controlled 
substances imported in the largest quantities in 2017 
were HCFCs (3 091 metric tonnes, 49 % of the total 
imports), CTC (7), CFCs (7), BCM (7) and MB (7).

HCFCs were mostly imported for feedstock and 
re-export for refrigeration. CTC was imported largely 
for feedstock and to a minor extent for laboratory use. 
Virgin halons were exclusively imported for feedstock 
use. Imported virgin CFCs, BCM and MB were placed 
on the EU market for feedstock and laboratory use 
(to a minor extent).

Imports of controlled virgin substances originated 
from eight source countries. When expressed in 
metric tonnes, imported controlled substances mostly 
originated from China (58 %), the United States (29 %) 
and Israel (9 %). The remaining 4 % came from India, 
the Russian Federation, Japan, Saudi Arabia and 
Switzerland, given in their order of importance.

Due to the increase of imported CTC and halons, 
the 2017 imports more than tripled compared with 
2016 when expressed in ODP tonnes (from 926 ODP 
tonnes in 2016 to 2 955 OPD tonnes in 2017) and 
mainly consisted of CTC (7), CFCs (7), halons, MB (7), 
HCFCs (7) and BCM.

2.2.2 

Imports of controlled non-virgin substances

Controlled non-virgin substances were imported into 
the EU to a much lesser extent than controlled virgin 
substances, and amounted to 0.7 % of total imports 
when expressed in metric tonnes. In 2017, non-virgin 

Figure 2.1 

Trend in imports of controlled virgin substances into the EU

Metric tonnes and ODP tonnes  

25 000

20 000

15 000

10 000

5 000

0

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

Metric tonnes

ODP tonnes

Sources:  EC, 2010, 2011; EEA, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018.

(7)  For reasons of confidentiality, data are not included.

13

Ozone-depleting substances 2018Aggregation results

imports were limited to halons (7), CFCs (7) and 
HCFCs (7). Imports of non-virgin substances increased 
by 4 metric tonnes in 2017.

2.3 

Exports of controlled substances

2.3.1  Exports of controlled virgin substances

In 2017, exports of controlled virgin substances from 
the EU (including re-export) continued to decline. The 
decline started in 2006 and followed a continuous trend 
until 2017 (Figure 2.2).

the period from 2006 to 2011, when the average 
year-on-year decline was 27 %. The largest exported 
quantities were of HCFCs previously imported or 
produced (79 % of total exports) and CTC produced 
in the EU (7). The overall decline of exports can largely 
be explained by the fact that HCFC exports dropped 
from 6 334 metric tonnes in 2016 to 5 028 in 2017 
(see Section 2.2). CTC exports showed a slight decrease 
compared with 2016. For substances produced in 
the EU (8), the decrease in exports is linked to relatively 
stable production combined with an increase in the use 
of the substances produced for internal EU feedstock 
and process agents.

In 2017, exports amounted to 6 371 metric 
tonnes (1 370 metric tonnes lower than in 2016). 
The decline in 2017 was comparable to the last 
two years (18 % relative to 2016), but was much less 
pronounced than the annual decline in exports in 

Expressed in ODP tonnes, total exports amounted to 
1 757 ODP tonnes in 2017 (down by 10 % compared 
with 2016). Exports of CTC and HCFCs were largest 
when expressed in ODP tonnes. The smaller decline 
in exports when expressed in ODP tonnes rather 

Figure 2.2 

Trend in exports of controlled virgin substances out of the EU

Metric tonnes and ODP tonnes

80 000

70 000

60 000

50 000

40 000

30 000

20 000

10 000

 0

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

Metric tonnes

ODP tonnes

Sources:  EC, 2010, 2011; EEA, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018.

(8) 

In 2017, production of controlled substances in the EU was limited to CTC, TCA, halon 1301, HCFC-21, HCFC-22, HCFC-124, HCFC-141b, 
HCFC-142b, HCFC-226cb, HBFC-31 B1 and BCM.

14

Ozone-depleting substances 2018Aggregation results

than in metric tonnes is mainly because exports of 
CTC (with a high ODP) did not change significantly 
between 2016 and 2017.

HCFCs were mostly exported for feedstock and 
refrigeration, and CTC was almost exclusively exported 
for feedstock use and to a very small extent for 
laboratory use. Controlled virgin substances were 
exported to 48 destination countries. The most significant 
quantities were exported to the United States, Japan, 
Saudi Arabia, Iraq and the United Arab Emirates (in order 
of importance when expressed in metric tonnes).

(600 metric tonnes in 2017) and halons (7). In 2017, 
exports of non-virgin HCFCs decreased by 258 metric 
tonnes (down by 30 %) but still accounted for 95 % 
of total non-virgin exports. This significant share of 
non-virgin HCFC exports in total non-virgin exports can 
be explained by a prohibition set out in Article 13 of 
the ODS Regulation, which entered into force in 2015. 
The prohibition states that the placing on the market 
and use of non-virgin HCFCs for the maintenance or 
servicing of existing refrigeration, air-conditioning and 
heat pump equipment are prohibited in the EU. It is 
therefore likely that in 2017 surplus amounts were 
exported out of the EU as a result.

2.3.2  Exports of controlled non-virgin substances

As with imports, controlled non-virgin substances were 
exported out of the EU to a much lesser extent than 
controlled virgin substances, amounting to 9 % of total 
exports when expressed in metric tonnes. In both 2016 
and 2017, non-virgin exports were limited to HCFCs 

2.4  Production of controlled substances

In 2017, production of controlled substances was at a 
similar level to that in previous years. The production 
of controlled substances has been declining since 
2006 (Figure 2.3). A significant dip in production 

Figure 2.3 

Trend in the production of controlled substances within the EU

Metric tonnes and ODP tonnes

300 000

250 000

200 000

150 000

100 000

50 000

 0

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

Production for feedstock use in the EU (in metric tonnes)

Production for feedstock use in the EU (in ODP tonnes)

Production for other uses (in metric tonnes)

Production for other uses (in ODP tonnes)

Note: 

Production data in ODP tonnes are available from 2007 onwards.

Sources:  EC, 2010, 2011; EEA, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018.

15

Ozone-depleting substances 2018Aggregation results

occurred in 2009, linked to the economic downturn in 
Europe in that year.

for feedstock use inside the EU remained relatively 
constant throughout this period.

In 2017, a total of 178 196 metric tonnes of controlled 
substances was produced. Production was thus 
slightly higher than in 2016, with a year-on-year 
increase of 6 %. Controlled substances produced 
in the EU predominantly comprised HCFCs (70 % of 
total production), CTC (7) and TCA (7). Increases in the 
production of TCA and HCFCs relative to 2016 are the 
main reason for the overall increase in total production. 
Only minor quantities of halons, HBFCs and BCM, and 
no CFCs or MB, were produced. Note that produced 
controlled substances are, by definition, virgin.

When expressed in ODP tonnes, production of controlled 
substances is much lower than when expressed in metric 
tonnes (Figure 2.3). This discrepancy can be explained by 
the above-mentioned high proportion of HCFCs (which 
have low ODPs) in the total production. Expressed in ODP 
tonnes, the production level of CTC was the largest (72 % 
of total production).

The controlled substances that were produced 
were almost exclusively intended for feedstock use 
(96 % of the produced quantity in metric tonnes or 
94 % of the total production in ODP tonnes). Most 
of the production for feedstock use was intended 
for companies located within the EU (96 % of total 
production in metric tonnes, or 92 % in ODP tonnes). 
The remaining production in the EU in 2017 was the 
result of unintentional by-production (which was 
subsequently destroyed) or was intended for process 
agent use or refrigeration. For refrigeration, all the 
produced quantities were exported.

2.5  Destruction of ozone-depleting 

substances

The destruction of controlled substances in 2017 was 
considerably lower than in 2014 to 2016 (Figure 2.4). 
For ODS destruction data, there is no trend visible in 
the last decade.

In 2017, a total of 5 749 metric tonnes of controlled 
substances was destroyed, a 26 % decrease 
compared with 2016. The 2017 decrease in 
destruction can, to a large extent, be explained by the 
decreased destruction of unintentionally produced 
CTC (down by 1 504 metric tonnes or 27 %) and 
HCFCs (down by 299 metric tonnes) compared with 
the amount destroyed in 2016. The largest quantities 
destroyed were of CTC, CFCs and HCFCs (72 %, 
15 % and 13 % of total destruction, respectively). 
In addition, 132 metric tonnes of mixtures with an 
unknown composition were destroyed (9).

The above-mentioned high proportion of CTC (which 
has a high ODP) in the overall quantity being destroyed 
explains why the figures for destruction are similarly 
high when expressed in metric or ODP tonnes. 
Expressed in ODP tonnes, the largest quantities 
destroyed were of CTC and CFCs (83 % and 16 % of 
total production, respectively). Also for previous years, 
CTC accounted for the largest share of substances 
being destroyed, leading to the high ODP values 
presented in Figure 2.4.

As can be seen in Figure 2.3, the decline in production 
between 2006 and 2017 was predominantly caused by 
declining production for uses other than feedstock in 
the EU (e.g. refrigeration, unintentional by-production 
and feedstock use outside the EU), while production 

For the period between 2009 and 2012, the declining 
trend in destruction of controlled substances was 
mainly the result of unintentionally produced CTC that 
was stockpiled (10) and subsequently destroyed during 
2013 and 2014.

(9)  Because the composition of the waste is unknown and can consist of both ODS and other substances (e.g. fluorinated greenhouse gases such 

as hydrofluorocarbons), they are not included in the total destruction. For a definition of 'mixtures', see Section 1.6 on terminology.

(10)  Stockpiles are stocks held by producers at the end of the year, resulting from production during the reporting year. Stocks at the end of the 

year resulting from imports, purchases or production in previous years are not included.

16

Ozone-depleting substances 2018Aggregation results

Figure 2.4 

Trend in the destruction of controlled substances within the EU

Metric tonnes and ODP tonnes

20 000

18 000

16 000

14 000

12 000

10 000

8 000

6 000

4 000

2 000

 0

*

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

Metric tonnes

ODP tonnes

*

This amount is conﬁdential. The value entered here is the mean
of the adjacent two values to create a straight line.

Note: 

Destroyed mixtures of controlled substances are excluded. The amount for 2011 in ODP tonnes (marked with *) is excluded for 
reasons of confidentiality. Prior to 2009, destruction facilities did not have to report to the European Commission; data collection 
and aggregation were carried out differently. 

Sources:  EC, 2010, 2011; EEA, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018.

17

Ozone-depleting substances 2018Aggregation results

2.6  Consumption of controlled 

substances

Consumption integrates the statistics on virgin import, 
virgin export, production and destruction into one 
single metric (see Section 2.1.2).

In 2017, the consumption of controlled substances 
in the EU was below zero (- 4 080 metric tonnes) and 
was only slightly higher than in 2016 (- 4 161 metric 
tonnes, which was the lowest consumption since 2006). 
Consumption of controlled substances has been 
below zero since 2010, except in 2012 (Figure 2.5). 
In recent years, the consumption of controlled 
substances has largely been driven by CTC, HCFCs 
and CFC consumption.

The relationship between stockpiling and destruction 
of unintentionally produced CTC largely determines 
CTC consumption and can have an effect on the 
overall consumption of controlled substances. In 
2012, for example, the negative consumption trend 

was broken owing to a rather high level of stockpiling 
of unintentionally produced CTC. In the last few 
years, more CTC was unintentionally produced than 
destroyed by the end of the year. Destruction of 
surplus CTC then ensued in the following years, thereby 
lowering consumption (see Section 2.5).

Expressed in ODP tonnes, consumption in 2017 
amounted to - 3 908 ODP tonnes, a 5 % increase 
compared with 2016. In general, the consumption 
trend in the EU is different when expressed in metric 
tonnes from that when it is expressed in ODP tonnes, 
especially in the period 2006-2009 (Figure 2.5). In 
particular, 2008 was an exceptional year. Consumption 
was at its highest in metric tonnes, while it was at its 
lowest in ODP tonnes. The high consumption in 2008 
(expressed in metric tonnes) was largely determined 
by a very high consumption of controlled substances 
with a low ODP (mainly HCFCs). On the other hand, the 
negative consumption of controlled substances with 
a high ODP (mainly CTC and CFCs) led to a negative 
consumption when expressed in ODP tonnes.

Figure 2.5 

Trend in the consumption of controlled substances within the EU

Metric tonnes and ODP tonnes

30 000

25 000

20 000

15 000

10 000

5 000

 0

- 5 000

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

Metric tonnes

ODP tonnes

Sources:  EC, 2010, 2011; EEA, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018.

18

Ozone-depleting substances 2018Aggregation results

2.7 

Feedstock use of controlled 
substances

2.7.1 

Feedstock use

The reporting obligation of the ODS Regulation 
allows for a direct calculation of the amount of 
controlled virgin substances used as feedstock agents. 
Feedstock use can be calculated as the reported 
make-up plus quantities sent for destruction by 
feedstock users (Figure 2.6). Feedstock availability, on 
the other hand, is calculated using data on imports 
for feedstock use and the production for feedstock 
use inside the EU. Although the methodologies are 
different, both should, in principle, provide very similar 
results. Discrepancies between feedstock availability 
and use can thus indicate relevant uses that have 
not been captured by the reporting system so far. 
See chapter 2.1.2 for more details.

The amount of controlled substances used as 
feedstock was 177 907 metric tonnes in 2017 (up by 
8 % relative to 2016; Figure 2.7) and reached the 
highest level since 2010. Feedstock use predominantly 

comprised HCFCs (70 % of total use), CTC and TCA. 
Feedstock availability was 174 324 metric tonnes in 
2017 (up by 9 % from 2016). In total, feedstock use 
was 1.2 % higher than feedstock availability. This 
difference is similar to the difference observed in 
2016, and it can be assumed that all large feedstock 
users reported figures for 2017.

Expressed in ODP tonnes, the largest quantities used 
for feedstock were of CTC (69 % of total use), HCFCs 
and halons. The difference between feedstock use and 
availability (when expressed in ODP tonnes) was 16 % 
in 2012 and 5 % in 2017. Overall, this indicates that 
there has been increasing consistency of reporting by 
companies over the years.

A look at the feedstock availability trend in the period 
from 2006 to 2017 reveals that feedstock availability 
varies considerably across years (Figure 2.7). After the 
dip in feedstock availability in 2008-2009 (most likely 
linked to lower rates of activity as a result of the 
economic crisis), it has increased again and levels have 
more or less been constant since 2010. Feedstock use 
closely followed the trend in feedstock availability in the 
period from 2010 to 2017.

Figure 2.6 

Comparing feedstock use and feedstock availability

Feedstock use

Feedstock availability

=

Make-up

+

Emissions

+

Destruction

=

Production

+

Import

-

Export

19

Ozone-depleting substances 2018Aggregation results

2.7.2  Emissions from feedstock use

2.8  Use of controlled substances as 

process agents

Emissions of controlled substances from their use as 
feedstock decreased from 82 metric tonnes in 2016 to 
62 metric tonnes in 2017 (down by 25 %). This resulted 
in an average emission rate of 0.03 % (calculated as the 
ratio of the total ODS emissions to the quantities used 
as make-up), which was slightly lower than the average 
emission rate in 2016 (i.e. 0.05 %) but much lower 
than the emission rates for the period between 2012 
and 2014. The overall decrease in the relative emission 
rate suggests that improvements have been made in 
the control of emissions in industry.

The use of controlled virgin substances as process 
agents is limited by the Montreal Protocol to a specific 
set of processes. Moreover, the EU imposes restrictions 
on the make-up and emissions for each registered 
process agent user.

In 2017, process agent use amounted to 324 metric 
tonnes, an 11 % decrease compared with 2016. This 
quantity used as process agents predominantly 
consisted of CTC and CFC-12. The amount of controlled 

Figure 2.7 

Trend in the feedstock availability and use of controlled substances within the EU

Metric tonnes

200 000

180 000

160 000

140 000

120 000

100 000

80 000

60 000

40 000

20 000

 0

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

Feedstock availability

Feedstock use

Note: 

The reporting obligation of the ODS Regulation allows for a direct calculation of feedstock use. Therefore, based on the data reported, 
this aggregated value is available only from 2010 onwards.

Sources:  EC, 2010, 2011; EEA, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018.

20

Ozone-depleting substances 2018Aggregation results

substances used as process agents amounted to 0.2 % 
of the total production.

2.9  New substances

Expressed in ODP tonnes, CTC and CFC-12 were also 
the main substances used as process agents. The 
year-on-year decrease in total make-up of controlled 
substances was mainly because of a decrease in the 
make-up of CTC (7).

The make-up of controlled substances in the EU stayed 
well below EU restrictions in 2017. Emissions from 
process agent uses increased to 1.3 %, an increase of 
9 % in total emissions compared with 2016. Emissions 
of controlled substances as a result of their use as 
process agents also remained within the limit imposed 
for the EU by the Montreal Protocol (i.e. 17 metric 
tonnes). Likewise, the limit imposed by the ODS 
Regulation (16.1 metric tonnes) was not exceeded.

According to the ODS Regulation, producers, importers 
and exporters of new substances (not to be confused 
with virgin substances; see Section 1.6) have to report 
information on these substances, which are not 
included in the Montreal Protocol.

The production of new substances has been rather 
constant since 2012 (Figure 2.8). In 2017, it was 4 % 
higher than in 2016, with 1 099 539 metric tonnes 
(22 402 ODP tonnes) and predominantly comprised 
MC (99.6 % of total production), n-PB and EB. Imports 
of new substances increased considerably in 2017 
(531 metric tonnes, up by 108 % compared with 2016). 
Likewise, exports of new substances showed a 
noticeable increase (up by 39 %) and amounted to 
8 382 metric tonnes compared with 2016. As has been 

Figure 2.8 

Trend in the production of new substances within the EU

Metric tonnes

1 200 000

1 000 000

 800 000

 600 000

 400 000

 200 000

  0

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

Production (in metric tonnes)

Production (in ODP tonnes)

Sources:  EC, 2010, 2011; EEA, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018.

ODP tonnes

45 000

30 000

15 000

0

21

Ozone-depleting substances 2018Aggregation results

the case in previous years, the quantities produced 
in the EU were significantly higher than the quantities 
imported and exported (11). To conclude, the availability 
of new substances (i.e. production + import – export) is 
almost equal to their production in the EU.

The production of new substances (expressed in 
metric tonnes) in 2017 was six times higher than 
the production of controlled substances (similar 
to previous years). This proportion is even more 
pronounced when looking at quantities produced 

for feedstock use. Production of new substances for 
feedstock use in the EU (99.6 % of total production 
of new substances) was over six times higher than 
the quantity of controlled substances produced for 
feedstock use. However, owing to the lower ODP of 
new substances (12), the picture is different when 
production quantities are compared in ODP tonnes 
(see Figure 2.9). Nevertheless, the production of new 
substances accounted for 32 % of both controlled 
and new substances in 2017 when expressed in 
ODP tonnes.

Figure 2.9 

Comparison of the production of new and controlled substances within the EU

ODP tonnes

90 000

80 000

70 000

60 000

50 000

40 000

30 000

20 000

10 000

 0

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

Controlled substances

New substances

Sources:  EC, 2010, 2011; EEA, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018.

(11)  Note that new substances are not covered by the Montreal Protocol and no consumption is calculated. A differentiation of the imports and 

exports of new substances into virgin and non-virgin substances has therefore been omitted. 

(12)  For some new substances, the ODP is expressed as a range in the ODS Regulation. In these cases, the highest value was used for conversion 

from metric tonnes to ODP tonnes.

22

Ozone-depleting substances 2018List of abbreviations

List of abbreviations

AFDST 

ANEW 

BCM 

BDR 

CFC 

CTC 

DFDST 

EB 

EC 

EEA 

EMFDST 

ENEW 

Feedstock availability in the EU

Availability of new substances in the EU

Bromochloromethane

Business Data Repository

Chlorofluorocarbon

Carbon tetrachloride (tetrachloromethane)

Destruction of controlled substances originally produced for feedstock use

Ethyl bromide (bromoethane)

European Commission

European Environment Agency

Emissions of controlled substances during their use as feedstock

Exports of new substances

ETC/ACM 

European Topic Centre for Air Pollution and Climate Change Mitigation

EU 

HBFC 

HCFC 

HFC 

IFDST 

INEW 

MB 

MC 

MFDST 

n-PB 

ODP 

European Union

Hydrobromofluorocarbon

Hydrochlorofluorocarbon

Hydrofluorocarbon

Imports of controlled substances for feedstock use

Imports of new substances

Methyl bromide (bromomethane)

Methyl chloride (chloromethane)

Controlled substances used as make-up for feedstock

n-propyl bromide (1-bromopropane)

Ozone-depleting potential

23

Ozone-depleting substances 2018List of abbreviations

ODS 

PFDST-EU 

PNEW 

QPS 

TCA 

TFIM 

UFDST 

UNEP 

Ozone-depleting substances

Production of controlled substances for feedstock use in the EU

Production of new substances

Quarantine and pre-shipment services

1,1,1-Trichloroethane (methyl chloroform)

Trifluoroiodomethane (trifluoromethyl iodide)

Feedstock use in the EU

United Nations Environment Programme

24

Ozone-depleting substances 2018References

References

EC, 2009, Regulation (EC) No 1005/2009 of the 
European Parliament and of the Council of 
16 September 2009 on substances that deplete 
the ozone layer (OJ L 286, 31.10.2009, pp. 1-30).

EC, 2010, Confidential report on the data reported by 
companies for the import, use, production and destruction 
of ozone-depleting substances (ODS) in order to fulfil 
the data reporting requirements of the Regulation (EC) 
No 1005/2009 and of the Montreal Protocol, European 
Commission, Brussels.

EC, 2011, Confidential report on the data reported by 
companies for the import, use, production and destruction 
of ozone-depleting substances (ODS) in order to fulfil 
the data reporting requirements of the Regulation (EC) 
No 1005/2009 and of the Montreal Protocol, European 
Commission, Brussels.

EEA, 2012, Ozone-depleting substances 2011: Aggregated 
data reported by companies on the production, 
import, export, destruction and use of ozone-depleting 
substances in the European Union, EEA Technical Report 
No 17/2012, European Environment Agency.

EEA, 2013, Ozone-depleting substances 2012: Aggregated 
data reported by companies on the production, 
import, export, destruction and use of ozone-depleting 
substances in the European Union, EEA Technical 
Report No 13/2013, European Environment Agency.

EEA, 2014, Ozone-depleting substances 2013: Aggregated 
data reported by companies on the production, 

import, export, destruction and use of ozone-depleting 
substances in the European Union, EEA Technical Report 
No 14/2014, European Environment Agency.

EEA, 2015, Ozone-depleting substances 2014: Aggregated 
data reported by companies on the production, 
import, export, destruction and use of ozone-depleting 
substances in the European Union, EEA Technical Report 
No 10/2015, European Environment Agency.

EEA, 2016, Ozone-depleting substances 2015: Aggregated 
data reported by companies on the production, import, 
export, destruction and use of ozone-depleting substances 
in the European Union, EEA Report No 19/2016, 
European Environment Agency.

EEA, 2017, Ozone-depleting substances 2016: Aggregated 
data reported by companies on the production, import, 
export, destruction and use of ozone-depleting substances 
in the European Union, EEA Report No 12/2017, 
European Environment Agency.

EEA, 2018, Confidential dataset covering the years 
2006-2017: Compilation and analysis of data 
reported by companies on the production, import, 
export, destruction and use of ozone-depleting 
substances in the European Union, European 
Environment Agency.

UNEP, 2016, Handbook for the Montreal Protocol on 
substances that deplete the ozone layer, 10th edition. 
United Nations Environment Programme, Nairobi, 
Kenya.

25

Ozone-depleting substances 2018Annex 1

Annex 1 Data tables

Table A1.1 

Production, import, export and destruction of controlled and new substances in the EU 
in 2017 (in metric tonnes)

Production

Import (virgin)

Export (virgin)

Destruction (*)

CFCs

Halons

Other CFCs

CTC

TCA

HCFCs

HBFCs

BCM

MB

C

C

C

31 607.51

C

124 528.97

C

C

-

C

C

-

C

C

3 091.03

 0.72

C

C

Total controlled substances

178 196.42

6 287.19

Halon 1202

MC

EB

TFIM

n-PB

-

1 094 775.16

C

-

C

Total new substances

1 099 539.36

-

C

C

C

 874.22

1 020.63

C

-

-

C

C

5 028.38

C

C

 16.00

6 371.37

C

C

C

C

C

8 382.34

 857.99

C

C

4 129.46

C

 734.97

C

-

C

5 748.91

-

-

-

-

-

-

Notes:  Mixtures of CFCs, HCFCs and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) were destroyed in 2017, but are not included in the data. C, data are not 

included for reasons of confidentiality.

(*) The destruction of new substances is not subject to reporting obligations under the ODS Regulation (Regulation (EC) No 1005/2009).

26

Ozone-depleting substances 2018 
Annex 1

Table A1.2 

Production, import, export and destruction of controlled and new substances in the EU 
in 2017 (in ODP tonnes)

Production

Import (virgin)

Export (virgin)

Destruction (*)

CFCs

Halons

Other CFCs

CTC

TCA

HCFCs

HBFCs

BCM

MB

-

C

-

34 768.26

C

7 241.00

C

-

-

C

C

-

C

-

 123.65

 0.52

C

C

Total controlled substances

48 237.81

2 954.56

Halon 1202

MC

EB

TFIM

n-PB

-

21 895.50

C

-

C

Total new substances

22 401.66

-

-

C

-

 87.42

 114.80

C

C

-

C

-

 294.64

C

-

 9.60

1 757.77

C

C

C

C

C

 363.37

 854.97

C

C

4 542.41

-

 39.64

C

-

C

5 500.39

-

-

-

-

-

-

Notes:  Mixtures of CFCs, HCFCs and HFCs were destroyed in 2017, but are not included in the data. C, data are not included for reasons of 

confidentiality.

(*) The destruction of new substances is not subject to reporting obligations under the ODS Regulation (Regulation (EC) No 1005/2009).

Table A1.3 

Import of controlled virgin substances in the EU in 2017

Source country

Import in metric tonnes

Import in ODP tonnes

China (excluding Hong Kong and Macau)

India

Other (*)

3 663.90

 130.04

2 493.25

 950.84

 206.08

1 797.64

Note 

(*) 'Other' refers to the United States, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Russia and Switzerland.

Table A1.4 

Export of controlled virgin substances in the EU in 2017

Destination country

Export in metric tonnes

Export in ODP tonnes

Israel

Switzerland

Other (*)

 31.64

 9.84

6 329.89

 9.17

 3.06

1 745.55

Note 

(*) 'Other' refers to the following 46 countries: Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Bahamas, Bahrain, Barbados, Canada, Chile, China, Egypt, 
French Polynesia, Ghana, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Japan, Jordan, Korea, Kuwait, Lebanon, Liberia, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, 
Mexico, Morocco, New Zealand, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Russia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, 
Senegal, Singapore, Syria, Taiwan, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United States and Vietnam. 

27

Ozone-depleting substances 2018 
Annex 1

Table A1.5 

Production, import, export and destruction of controlled substances in the EU in 2008-2017 
(in metric tonnes)

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

Metric tonnes

Production

228 679.99 158 964.70 192 701.43 185 012.86 171 421.38 163 664.49 177 058.65 169 890.13 168 081.50 178 196.42

For feedstock use 
in EU

143 884.99 115 953.33 168 413.89 176 348.90 155 738.00 152 376.40 160 846.26 154 508.35 156 906.04 170 382.81

For other uses

84 795.00

43 011.37

24 287.55

8 663.95

15 683.38

11 288.09

16 212.39

15 381.77

11 175.46

7 813.61

Relevant for 
consumption (*)

NA

NA

NA

NA

14 963.06

10 792.93

15 804.85

15 073.77

10 910.85

7 538.11

Import (virgin)

14 046.61

13 471.89

8 790.44

9 533.52

9 410.25

8 460.82

6 843.51

6 045.75

5 127.48

6 287.19

Relevant for 
consumption (*)

NA

NA

NA

NA

3 844.04

3 149.25

2 142.17

550.08

422.95

502.15

Export (virgin)

45 787.60

30 506.83

22 205.29

15 995.19

14 301.41

11 569.20

11 247.44

9 320.32

7 741.79

6 371.37

Destruction

20 965.47

15 696.54

9 863.43

6 015.86

2 844.58

5 883.41

9 969.85

10 439.34

7 753.30

5 748.91

Consumption

25 603.34

11 314.25

- 1 680.47

- 2 918.32

1 661.10

- 3 510.90

- 3 270.28

- 4 135.81

- 4 161.29

- 4 080.03

ODP tonnes

Production

60 551.90

47 462.52

56 447.06

54 508.28

53 878.43

52 739.48

55 223.25

52 825.42

49 127.26

48 237.81

For feedstock use 
in EU

37 713.15

28 212.38

44 293.91

50 496.32

44 833.30

48 604.80

45 501.44

43 526.75

43 424.37

44 612.25

For other uses

22 838.75

19 250.14

12 153.15

4 011.96

9 045.13

4 134.69

9 721.81

9 298.67

5 702.89

3 625.56

Relevant for 
consumption (*)

NA

NA

NA

NA

8 252.78

3 590.00

9 273.51

8 959.86

5 411.83

3 322.51

Import (virgin)

5 235.18

4 606.11

3 495.83

3 601.74

3 637.36

3 785.67

2 307.42

2 112.72

 925.62

2 954.56

Relevant for 
consumption (*)

NA

NA

NA

NA

1 684.85

1 499.96

975.77

 33.98

26.84

27.81

Export (virgin)

13 299.17

8 555.64

4 445.49

3 429.41

5 233.21

2 715.99

2 888.20

2 151.57

1 930.72

1 757.77

Destruction

23 014.58

16 875.16

11 479.04

6 052.39

2 452.25

5 626.13

9 804.07

10 455.55

7 603.90

5 500.39

Consumption

- 4 597.27

- 467.61

- 1 664.60

- 2 652.16

2 252.16

- 3 252.16

- 2 442.99

- 3 613.28

- 4 095.96

- 3 907.85

Note 

(*) For production and imports, quantities intended for feedstock use, use as process agents and quarantine and 
pre-shipment service are excluded from the calculation of consumption. The consumption can be calculated as 
Production (*) + Import (*) – Export – Destruction. NA = Not available.

28

Ozone-depleting substances 2018Table A1.6 

Feedstock availability of controlled substances in the EU in 2000-2017 (in metric tonnes)

Annex 1

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

Feedstock availability

115 156.50

137 016.00

143 813.50

126 576.03

134 713.00

108 489.30

180 716.00

185 085.00

144 249.00

117 795.30

170 630.11

175 232.07

159 228.54

157 538.02

165 611.93

159 243.71            

161 309.77

175 765.11

Table A1.7 

Production, import and export of new substances in the EU in 2009-2017 
(in metric and ODP tonnes)

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

In metric tonnes

Production

914 278.24 1 076 512.41 1 038 156.51 1 146 200.28 1 122 116.61 1 126 402.41 1 107 924.90 1 059 802.92 1 099 539.36

Import

Export

In ODP tonnes

1 160.25

1 534.60

1 987.15

2 746.46

12 362.44

1 838.97

1 943.02

489.65

 1 020.63

5 752.21

6 105.53

6 333.64

6 472.40

5 898.49

4 361.58

5 842.29

6 031.34

 8 382.34

Production

18 404.89

21 722.11

21 138.18

23 258.49

22 798.42

22 842.85

22 466.36

21 503.15

 22 401.66

Import

Export

54.05

178.12

87.93

226.41

150.20

259.84

147.73

260.47

374.11

304.43

121.80

212.80

209.52

318.48

64.91

  114.80

237.47

  363.37

29

Ozone-depleting substances 2018 
Annex 2

Annex 2 

 Measures to protect confidential   
data

Article 27(8) of the ODS Regulation states that 
appropriate steps need to be taken to protect the 
confidentiality of the information submitted according 
to this piece of EU law. Hence, the EEA, in agreement 
with the European Commission, has applied measures 
to prevent the deduction of commercially sensitive 
information. These measures apply to the production, 
import, export, destruction and consumption of ODS 
and (where applicable) new substances, as well as to 
process agent and feedstock uses.

The measures include:

1.  application of the '3-company group rule', whereby 
the data presented in the report must be the result 
of reporting by at least three company groups 
(i.e. corporate groups);

2.  application of the '5 % significance rule', whereby 
company groups whose reported data add up to 
less than 5 % of the total amount reported for any 
data point represented in the report are ignored 
for counting under the '3-company group rule';

3.  application of additional measures to prevent the 

deduction of sensitive information.

All measures apply for amounts reported in both 
metric tonnes and ODP tonnes. Each of the measures is 
explained in more depth below.

A2.1  The '3-company group rule'

This measure concerns the treatment of data 
reported by different legal entities across the EU 
that belong to the same company group. For that 
purpose, company groups are defined as 'one or 
more companies legally belonging to the same 
corporate group'. The agreed principle is that 
companies belonging to the same corporate group 
need to be seen as a single entity when it comes to 
confidentiality rules. Once such company groups 
are determined, at least three must contribute to 
each reported value. This measure replaces the old 
'3-company rule' as applied by the EEA in previous 
public ODS reports, which did not take into account 
possible corporate relationships.

A2.2	 The	'5 %	significance	rule'

As a second measure, company groups are 
included in the above count only if they contributed 
significantly to the reported value. This means that 
the smallest contributors, that is, those groups 
with an accumulated share of less than 5 %, are not 
considered when applying the '3-company group 
rule', explained above. This ensures that at least three 
corporate entities contribute significantly to each 
reported transaction value.

30

Ozone-depleting substances 2018Annex 2

Box	A2.1	 A	practical	guide	to	applying	the	'3-company	group	rule'	and	'5 %	significance	rule'	measures	to	data

Operationalisation of the combined '3-company group rule' and '5 % significance rule'

Step 1: All values reported by companies of a given company group for a given transaction year were added up for a given 
transaction and substance or substance group.

∑ 𝑋𝑋𝑋𝑋 = 𝑋𝑋1 + 𝑋𝑋2 + ⋯ 𝑋𝑋𝑋𝑋

𝑋𝑋𝑋𝑋 = 𝑋𝑋𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑋𝑋𝑖𝑖𝑋𝑋𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑖𝑖 𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑟𝑟 𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 𝑖𝑖 𝑠𝑠𝑋𝑋𝑖𝑖𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑖𝑟𝑟 𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑋𝑋𝑖𝑖𝑠𝑠 𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑖𝑖𝑢𝑢𝑋𝑋𝑖𝑖𝑠𝑠

∑ 𝑋𝑋𝑋𝑋 = 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 𝑋𝑋𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑋𝑋𝑖𝑖𝑋𝑋𝑖𝑖𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖 𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑜𝑜𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑖𝑖 𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑠𝑠𝑟𝑟𝑠𝑠 𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑜𝑜𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑋𝑋𝑖𝑖𝑟𝑟 𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑖𝑖𝑢𝑢𝑋𝑋𝑖𝑖𝑟𝑟𝑠𝑠 𝑏𝑏𝑟𝑟𝑖𝑖𝑜𝑜𝑖𝑖𝑟𝑟𝑋𝑋𝑖𝑖𝑟𝑟 𝑟𝑟𝑜𝑜 𝑟𝑟ℎ𝑟𝑟 𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑖𝑠𝑠𝑟𝑟 𝑐𝑐𝑜𝑜𝑠𝑠𝑟𝑟𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑏𝑏 𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑜𝑜𝑠𝑠𝑟𝑟

Step 2: The sum of all absolute contributions (                   ) across company groups was calculated.

Step 3: The percentage of step 1 in relation to step 2 was calculated for each company group.

Step 4: The company groups were sorted in ascending order of the percentages calculated in step 3.

Step 5: An accumulated percentage was calculated across the sorted company groups.

Step 6: The number of company groups for which the accumulated percentage was larger than 5 % was counted.

If the number of company groups counted in step 6 was one or two, the full aggregated value across company groups was 
hidden as confidential. If the number was three or more, the full aggregated value across company groups was reported and 
was thus not confidential. 

31

Ozone-depleting substances 2018 
 
 
 
Annex 2

A2.3  Preventing deduction of sensitive 

data

Additional measures were applied to prevent the 
deduction of confidential data.

additional measure, it should be remembered that 
the consumption of ODS is a calculated transaction 
that involves corrected production, import, export 
and destruction data for each substance or substance 
group.

A2.3.1  All transactions

For the reader, this rather complicated calculation can 
be simplified as:

Deduction might have been possible in cases where 
transaction data for certain substances or substance 
groups (i.e. CFCs, halons, other CFCs, CTC, TCA, HCFCs, 
HBFCs, BCM or MB) remained confidential, yet data 
for other substances or substance groups, along with 
a total for the transaction in question, were published. 
Confidential data that were at risk of such deduction 
were protected by hiding additional data as confidential 
(although these additional values had been identified 
as non-confidential according to the '3-company group 
rule' and the '5 % significance rule'), so that values for 
at least three (or none) of the substances or substance 
groups were confidential in the published data for that 
transaction.

A2.3.2  Aggregated transactions

Finally, transaction data were hidden because other 
confidential transaction data could be deduced 
from their publication. In order to understand this 

Consumption = 
production + import – export + remainder

The 'remainder' may appear irrelevant, and a 
confidential value for production, for instance, could 
be deduced based on non-confidential information on 
consumption, import and export. In such cases, data 
are published only in cases where the 'remainder' 
exceeds 5 % of the consumption.

A2.3.3  Treatment of historical data

For the present report, the above-mentioned measures 
were also applied to the reported values for reporting 
years since 2011. Data related to earlier reporting years 
were not subject to these more rigorous measures, as 
the commercial relevance of data is decreasing over 
time. Instead, data from these earlier reporting years 
continue to be protected by the '3-company rule' that 
has been applied in previous EEA reports on ODS.

32

Ozone-depleting substances 2018European Environment Agency

Ozone-depleting substances 2018
Aggregated data reported by companies on the 
import, export, production, destruction, feedstock 
and process agent use of ozone-depleting substances 
in the European Union, 2006-2017

2016 — 32 pp. — 21 x 29.7 cm

ISBN 978-92-9213-970-4
doi:10.2800/53760

HOW TO OBTAIN EU PUBLICATIONS

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