Resources

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This report summarizes information on the conditions, challenges, available technologies,and current state of ODS/HFC reclamation and destruction practices in Article5 countries. In addition, a very brief assessment of the policy framework directlyinfluencing reclamation and destruction practices in Article 5 countries is presented,highlighting its role in the successful management of ODS/HFCs.

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This study highlights the need for coordinated global action to address short-lived ozone-depleting substances (ODS) and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), estimating significant emissions from these substances, and empasizes that strong national policy frameworks can help manage these emissions, contributing to climate targets and ozone layer recovery. The study concludes with recommendations based on the presented materials.

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Este cartel muestra los procesos necesarios para gestionar de forma segura y eficaz los bancos de SAO.

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This report contains experience, methodologies and a tool (in excel) to estimate the viability of carbon markets for financing EOL management of refrigerants. The Excel tool can be obtained through an e-mail request to UNDP. The report was presented  and discussed at the COPA TWG FM meeting on 30th March, 2023.More information is available on the COPA TWG FM website. 

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This study by Heat GmbH on behalf of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH is a contribution to the development of a financing mechanism (FM) for the sustainable refrigerant management of ODS/HFC banks in current and future partner countries of the Climate and Ozone Protection Alliance (COPA) which seeks to accelerate the mitigation measures needed to address these amounts.

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This guideline was updated to reflect all requirements stated by the decision of the Executive Committee to the Multilateral Fund 91/66 on the provision of a funding window for establishing an inventory of controlled substances and a plan for their treatment. 

A sound understanding of ODS/HFC banks on the country level is the basis for any action and policy decisions in the field of bank management. 

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The proper disposal of gases and foams in old cooling appliances offers enormous potential for climate action. Despite its significant cost-effectiveness, ODS and HFC banks management remains a "blind spot" in the international climate debate.

By joining forces with UNIDO and UNDP as implementing partners and financial donors, COPA aims to contribute to a substantial reduction of emissions in the long term.

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In this online event, GIZ Proklima provided an answer on how to successfully qualify, certify and register technicians handling natural refrigerants. The event involved experiences from Kenya as a frontrunner country in this regard. Especially in the Global South, the demand for cooling is rising. Thus, more and more RAC technicians are needed and they are faced with new challenges. Due to more complex systems and higher environmental, energy and safety standards, these technicians must be very well trained. Comprehensive training not only improves their job opportunities but also ensures that they can handle the equipment safely. The newly developed “Fit for Green Cooling” scheme provides solutions for a proper qualification of RAC technicians that minimizes environmental and health-related risks and ensures the creation of future-oriented workforce. "Fit for Green Cooling" was developed according to international standards but can be adapted to national contexts and integrated in country-specific structures. It helps reduce direct and indirect emissions over the life-time and disposal of RAC appliances by setting standards that are followed by a skilled workforce. Thereby it supports countries in their efforts to phase-down climate-damaging HFC refrigerants and to reach their NDCs.

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This side event was held as part of the IETA Business Hub during COP 26. Environmentally friendly and energy-efficient cooling technologies with natural refrigerants are gaining ground: but as we move into the future, we must not forget the huge emissions stocks in our old cooling appliances. This virtual side event provided an overview on global F-Gas banks, potentials of banks management and options for market-based approaches.

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This video raises awareness for an adequate collection, recovery and destruction of ODS banks. Rising temperatures, urbanization and economic growth lead to an increasing demand of refrigeration and air conditioning appliances (RAC), especially in the Global South. Most of the old refrigerators and air conditioners still use refrigerants consisting of ozone depleting substances (ODS) such as hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) with a very high global warming potential (GWP). Due to the Montreal Protocol, production and consumption of ODS have been reduced successfully stepwise. However, the environmentally friendly management of so-called “ODS banks” (waste containing these substances such as old fridges, air conditioners, etc.) is not regulated by the Montreal Protocol and often not properly handled. As a consequence, the substances are leaking from ODS banks into the environment; damaging the ozone layer and global climate.

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This video illustrates the reclaim process of refrigerants. [Spanish version below] Substances like HCFC and HFC used in refrigeration and air conditioning equipment contribute to the depletion of the ozone layer and global warming. If not handled properly, refrigerant gases cause emissions that directly affect our atmosphere. Therefore, the collection and proper waste management is crucial. The recovery of refrigerant gases is important to valorize them and to reduce the import of these gases by promoting their reuse. This short video highlights the importance and different steps of the reclaim process of refrigerant gases, carried out in the CEET SENA Regeneration Center in Bogotá. This reclaim unit has been installed in the framework of the ODS banks project implemented with the National Ozone Unit of Colombia, UTO. It provides solution on how everybody can contribute to the well-being of the planet and strengthen the competitiveness of the RAC sector. Las sustancias como los HCFC y HFC que se utilizan en los equipos de refrigeración y aire acondicionado contribuyen al agotamiento de la capa de ozono y al calentamiento global. Si no se manejan adecuadamente, los gases refrigerantes provocan emisiones que afectan directamente a nuestra atmósfera. Por lo tanto, la recogida y gestión adecuada de los residuos es crucial. La recuperación de los gases refrigerantes es importante para valorizarlos y reducir la importación de estos gases promoviendo su reutilización. Este breve vídeo destaca la importancia y los diferentes pasos del proceso de recuperación de gases refrigerantes, llevado a cabo en el Centro de Regeneración del CEET SENA en Bogotá. Esta unidad de recuperación ha sido instalada en el marco del proyecto de bancos de SAOs implementado con la Unidad Nacional de Ozono de Colombia, UTO. Aporta una solución sobre cómo todos pueden contribuir al bienestar del planeta y fortalecer la competitividad del sector RAC.

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This presentation was held as part of an UNDP/GIZ side event at the 31st MOP in Rome, Italy. It provides an overview of barriers and opportunities of End of Life (EOL) ODS/HFC Waste Management.

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This poster shows the processes required to safely and effectively manage ODS banks.

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This poster shows the necessary steps for the dismantling of refrigerators.

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This poster shows the necessary steps for the correct dismantling of ACs.

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This study investigates the currently applied assumptions of global CFC banks models and compares it with data collected in specific countries. CFCs were widely used as refrigerants and foam blowing agents. During its peak consumption in the 1990s, it is estimated that up to 430 kilo tonnes of CFC (GIZ, 2018) were added to the bank annually. CFCs are ODS and their bank is defined as the amount of substance contained in appliances and other products that have not been released to the atmosphere yet1 Due to the CFC phase-out, accomplished under the Montreal Protocol within non-Article 5 (nA5) countries2 in 1996 and Article 5 (A5) countries in 2010, the CFC bank is not increasing any longer. However, the size of the CFC bank in foam products (and to a lesser extend in refrigeration and air conditioning equipment) is believed to be still considerable. Several models estimate the remaining CFC bank on a global scale (Ashford et al., 2004) in the Assessment Reports of the Rigid and Flexible Foams Technical Option Committee (FTOC, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018; GIZ, 2018). Nevertheless, the assumptions of those models, although state of the art in terms of chemical behaviour, often disregard (lack of adequate) recycling practices, resulting in several uncertainties. Thus, the debate on the remaining CFCs in banks, and the resulting emissions is still ongoing. This study intends to contribute to the debate by (1) shedding light on individual country’s estimated remaining CFC bank and their handling, focusing on CFC-11 and CFC-12 in building foams, and by (2) investigating the fit of model assumptions to found practices and carrying out a sensitivity analysis on selected parameters. This paper is part of the project ‘Management and Destruction of Existing Ozone Depleting Substances Banks’ funded by the German Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) under its International Climate Initiative (IKI) and implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH.

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This publication introduces four key processes to establish good practices in ODS bank management in Iran.

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This ODS bank inventory of Iran focuses on refrigerants as non-diluted ODS, which can be recovered at a reasonable level of effort and costs. The Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (RAC) equipment in Iran mainly uses hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) and increasingly hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) replacing the HCFCs. Both substance groups and also natural refrigerants such as hydrocarbons, carbondioxide and ammonia have been considered in this study. The reported results are important to determine priority areas for ODS bank management and to set up appropriate policy measures. Equally important are the results to aid the decision whether a country better exports ODS for destruction or destroys these substances locally.

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Actualmente, Colombia es uno de los países cooperantes del proyecto global de gestión y destrucción de bancos de SAO, implementado por la Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, y como parte del plan de trabajo de este proyecto se ha preparado el presente documento con el objetivo de brindar los lineamientos técnicos básicos para la gestión de equipos de refrigeración y aire acondicionado al final de la vida útil.

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The Montreal Protocol on substances that deplete the ozone layer (ODS) has been effectively regulating the production and consumption of ODS since 1989. However, large banks of ODS have accumulated globally due to the excessive historical use of these substances. ODS are continuously being released to the atmosphere from these banks – damaging the ozone layer and contributing to global warming. It is important to note that these banks are not regulated under the Montreal Protocol. Adequate collection, recovery and destruction of ODS banks represent a challenge for the Global South. Various programmes and projects that were promoted and financed by the Montreal Protocol, aiming at the reduction and elimination of ODS, resulted in the voluntary conversion to technologies free of these substances by large companies. This, together with import and trade controls of ODS, has ultimately contributed to an increase in waste stocks and equipment which contain ODS and now require final disposal. The global project ‘Management and Destruction of ODS Banks’ supports the integrated waste management of ODS and equipment containing ODS. This project is commissioned by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) as part of its International Climate Initiative (IKI) and being implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. This guideline was developed as part of the ODS Banks project in close cooperation with the Technical Ozone Unit of the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development of Colombia, with the aim of providing basic technical knowledge on the disposal of refrigeration and air conditioning appliances.

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The Montreal Protocol on substances that deplete the ozone layer (ODS) has been effectively regulating the production and consumption of ODS since 1989. However, large banks of ODS have accumulated globally due to the excessive historical use of these substances. ODS are continuously being released to the atmosphere from these banks – damaging the ozone layer and contributing to global warming. It is important to note that these banks are not regulated under the Montreal Protocol. Adequate collection, recovery and destruction of ODS banks represent a challenge for the Global South. Various programmes and projects that were promoted and financed by the Montreal Protocol, aiming at the reduction and elimination of ODS, resulted in the voluntary conversion to technologies free of these substances by large companies. This, together with import and trade controls of ODS, has ultimately contributed to an increase in waste stocks and equipment which contain ODS and now require final disposal. The global project ‘Management and Destruction of ODS Banks’ supports the integrated waste management of ODS and equipment containing ODS. This project is commissioned by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) as part of its International Climate Initiative (IKI) and being implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. This guideline was developed as part of the ODS Banks project in close cooperation with the Technical Ozone Unit of the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development of Colombia, with the aim of providing basic technical knowledge on the disposal of refrigeration and air conditioning appliances.

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This paper aims to assess the climate impact of the existing ODS bank based on a country-level estimate and illustrates the magnitude of potential emission savings achieved by suitable measures to collect and destroy ODS banks. The results of this analysis together with the lessons learned from the other project activities are used to develop international guidance on ODS bank management.

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As hazardous substances, ODS wastes fall under the Basel Convention on the control of transboundary movements of hazardous wastes and their disposal. This guideline was developed for National Ozone Units (NOUs) considering the export of ODS for destruction as part of their ODS management. The guideline links the topics of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer with the Basel Convention and provides practical information on how to conduct transboundary movements (TBMs) of ODS waste.

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This guideline focuses on the collection of ODS containing equipment. It provides practical guidance for national ozone officers (NOO), policy makers from the waste sector and other stakeholders. As decommissioned ODS containing equipment is classified as Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE), this guideline’s recommendations are valid for the collection of WEEE in general. However, this guideline also includes specific aspects related to ODS.

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Creating a suitable, country-specific policy framework is essential for any ODS management scheme to be successful. This guideline presents a range of measures (regulatory, fiscal and non-regulatory measures) that can prevent the accumulation of and emissions from ODS banks. The guideline also shows a way to choose the appropriate option or a bundle of possible options tailored to conditions within the country and depending on the targeted sector or government objective.

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This guideline is intended for inventory compilers involved in quantifying the amount of ozone depleting substances (ODS) banks in their country and, based on this, quantifying the mitigation potential. A sound understanding of ODS banks on the country level is the basis for any action and policy decisions in the field of ODS bank management. This step-by-step guideline presents two pragmatic approaches for assessing current ODS banks as a basis for future forecasts, reduction targets and policy actions: (1) equipment approach and (2) chemical consumption approach.

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This guideline is intended for inventory compilers involved in quantifying the amount of ozone depleting substances (ODS) banks in their country and, based on this, quantifying the mitigation potential. A sound understanding of ODS banks on the country level is the basis for any action and policy decisions in the field of ODS bank management. This step-by-step guideline presents two pragmatic approaches for assessing current ODS banks as a basis for future forecasts, reduction targets and policy actions: (1) equipment approach and (2) chemical consumption approach.

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Esta hoja de ruta global ofrece información sobre los procesos clave de este sector y orienta a los responsables políticos, por ejemplo a los responsables nacionales del ozono y a los responsables políticos del sector de los residuos, sobre el desarrollo de estrategias para una gestión satisfactoria de los bancos de sustancias que agotan la capa de ozono (SAO). Además, el documento presenta un árbol de decisiones para ayudar a tomar las decisiones correctas sobre la gestión de los bancos de SAO.

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This global roadmap provides information on key processes in this sector and gives guidance to policy-makers, e.g. national ozone officers and policy-makers from the waste sector, on developing strategies for successful management of ozone depleting substances (ODS) banks. Furthermore, the paper presents a decision tree to assist in taking the right decisions concerning ODS bank management.

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The present paper focuses on one aspect of ozone depleting substances (ODS) banks management: The destruction of ODS through thermal processes. In the Global North, a number of technical processes are available for the destruction of ODS, the most efficient ones often provided by big chemical companies. The number of options available in the Global South depends on the industries found locally. As a result of the Montreal Protocol, ODS have been widely replaced by hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which have high global warming potentials (GWP). While the ODS bank is projected to decline, the HFC bank will increase. Since HFCs are still widely in use, there is currently little data on HFC destruction and the present paper therefore focuses on the destruction of ODS but also addresses the destruction of HFC. It is expected that HFC destruction will not differ much from ODS destruction. The objective of this paper is to give an overview of technical measures for the destruction of ODS and a special focus is turned upon their potential application in the special situation of countries in the Global South by looking at investment and operational costs as well as technical requirements. The report thereby first looks at the collection and pre-treatment of refrigeration equipment, where considerable ODS banks are still available for treatment (Chapter 2) before it looks at the destruction technologies of ODS (Chapter 3) and HFC (Chapter 4) themselves. Out of the existing technical processes, selected thermal processes are discussed in detail in this document and each technology is analysed regarding its potential use in countries in the Global South. A very promising strategy is the destruction of ODS in cement kilns which are found in almost all countries and which have a high capacity to handle pure (H)CFC as well as polyurethane (PUR) foams. This paper has been developed as part of the project “Management and Destruction of Existing Ozone Depleting Banks” on behalf of the Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) under its International Climate Initiative (IKI) and implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH.