UNEP DTIE OzonAction Programme
Ministry of Environmental and
Nature Protection of Croatia
THEMATIC MEETING ON IMPLEMENTATION OF
HCFC PHASE-OUT MANAGEMENT PLANS
ZADAR / ZAGREB, CROATIA, 24-26 SEPTEMBER 2013
MEDIA BRIEFING
Balkan countries and Turkey striving for ozone layer & climate protection
The Balkan countries and Turkey are doing well in terms of Montreal Protocol
implementation. According to the reported consumption data for 2012, all of them
comply with the phase-out schedules for ozone-depleting substances (ODS) and have
import / export licensing systems in place to monitor & control ODS trade. They are
optimistic to meet the freeze of hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFC) consumption at the
baseline level in 2013.
As part of the activities of UNEP’s Regional Ozone Network for Europe & Central Asia
(ECA network), the Ozone Officers and refrigeration experts of these countries met in
Zadar / Zagreb, Croatia, 24-26 September 2013 to enhance the implementation of the
respective HCFC phase-out strategies through the sharing of practical experiences from
introducing policy measures, legislation, standards and from promoting ozone- &
climate-friendly technologies.
Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) are widely used as replacement of ODS but they are potent
greenhouse gases contributing to climate change. Country representatives suggested
exploring the possibility of a joint statement of the 12 ECA network & 7 associated
countries with economies in transition (CEIT countries) to support the establishment of
an open-ended contact group which would consider a possible amendment of the
Montreal Protocol to control the production & consumption of HFCs and in particular the
situation of CEIT countries. If agreed by all, the statement would be read out at the
forthcoming Meeting of the Parties in Bangkok.
Despite the successful implementation of the HCFC phase-out strategies so far, some
countries are facing specific challenges for example how to introduce equipment labeling
and logbooks to record and reduce refrigerant emissions. It was agreed to include this
topic on the agenda of the next ECA network meeting to respond to questions such as
who is responsible for the logbook keeping and labeling of equipment, how to identify
equipment and its location (serial numbers or bar codes), how to print and distribute the
equipment labels, how to monitor mandatory inspections and leakage checking and what
is the role of the National Ozone Units in this procedure.
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Several countries (non-low-volume-ODS-consuming countries) were not eligible for
Multilateral Fund funding for disposal & destruction projects. However, these countries
increasingly accumulate waste for destruction from the operation of the recovery &
recycling centers. Leaking refrigerant blends add to the problem since they change their
chemical composition in case of leakage. It was agreed to consult experts of the
Refrigeration Technical Options Committee (RTOC) whether it could be economically
feasible to recondition such blends to their initial specifications.
The use of ozone- & climate-friendly HCFC alternatives such ammonia, hydrocarbons or
carbon dioxide requires specific skills of the service technicians and appropriate safety
precautions to minimize the risks resulting from flammability, toxicity and high pressure.
However, most countries do not require any specific training of technicians on the safe
use of these refrigerants and neither does the European Union regulation on fluorinated
greenhouse gases (F-gases). And the introduction of such requirements would normally
not be within the responsibility of the National Ozone Units.
Some provisions of international standards such as EN 378 on safety and environmental
requirements for refrigeration systems and heat pumps might be reflected in national fire
protection legislation, while other important provisions are not mandatory. Such
regulatory gaps should be identified. For example the installation of safety devices,
refrigerant detectors and alarm systems in machinery rooms and public areas should be
made mandatory.
The Carrier Croatia representative attended the meeting and presented their R134a/CO2
and CO2/CO2 cascade systems. He also arranged a site visit of a supermarket in Zadar
with a newly installed R134a/CO2 system. The display cabinets were equipped with
insolating glass doors and LED lighting as well of CO2 detectors and alarm system in
case of leakage although the latter were not mandatory. As an indicative figure, such
cascade system might initially costs 5-10% more than traditional HFC systems with an
expected pay-back time of approx. 6 years.
The last meeting day was dedicated to a series of site visits including the refrigerator
collection center CIOS in Jankomir which recovers refrigerants from the cooling circuits
and insulation foam. The waste refrigerants are transported to CIAK company in Zabok
for temporary storage and export for destruction in Germany. The shreddered aluminium,
copper and plastic is re-used as raw material. The foam is compressed into pellets which
are used as fuel in cement kilns.
The CIAK company in Zabok collects, sorts and temporally stores about 6-7 thousand
metric tons of hazardous (95%) and non-hazardous (5%) waste annually which is then
send for recycling or destruction. During the last 2 years, about 22 tons of R11, R12 and
refrigerant mixtures have been collected including the quantities received from CIOS in
Jankomir.
The Croatian halon bank in Varazdin collects and stores halons either for sale to other
halon banks or for critical uses in the military sector. So far, it collected 25 metric tons of
halons of which 12 metric tons were sold to halon banks in other countries.
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The 3-day meeting was jointly organized by the Croatian Ministry of Environmental and
Nature Protection and UNEP DTIE’s OzonAction Programme in cooperation with the
partner agency UNIDO.
Contacts:
Ms. Snjezana Ilicic, National Ozone Officer (Senior Expert Advisor), Ministry of
Environmental and Nature Protection of Croatia, Email: [email protected]
Ms. Martina Vidakovic, National Ozone Unit, Ministry of Environmental and Nature
Protection of Croatia, Email: [email protected]
Mr. Halvart Koepen, Coordinator of ECA network, UNDP DTIE OzonAction, Email:
[email protected]
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