Council wants more time to phase out HFCs

Member states adopted a negotiating position on Friday (4 October) that would give companies more time and more exceptions in phasing out the use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), powerful global warming gases much stronger than carbon dioxide. Negotiations between MEPs and member states will begin today (7 October).

HFCs are mostly used by refrigerators and air conditioners. Some companies that use the gases have argued that there are not suitable alternatives available. But other companies dispute this. It had been hoped an ambitious European Union plan to phase out HFCs could be agreed before the UN climate summit in Warsaw in November, to serve as an example to global partners. But it is now clear this timeline cannot be met.  

In June the European Parliament’s environment committee voted to speed up the process of phasing out HFCs in the European Commission’s proposal. The amount of HFCs placed on the market in 2030 would be reduced by 16% from 2009-12 levels, as opposed to 21% in the Commission’s proposal. The MEPs also called for a ban on fluorinated gases (F-gases) in pre-charged equipment.  

The member state position would not have such a ban, instead opting for a traceability system for these gases. The position would extend the timeline so that more HFCs would be in use by 2030 than in the Commission’s proposal. It would limit the phasing out process to only certain HFCs. For instance, a 2017 deadline would be limited to only HFC23.  

Manufacturing company 3M, which is active in the fire protection and switchgear sectors, said it was disappointed with the council position. It said alternatives are available and a 2017 deadline is feasible for all HFCs.  

The Council, at this stage, has failed to pick up the low-hanging fruit,” said Maxime Bureau, government and public affairs director of 3M Europe. “For example in the fire protection sector, alternatives already exist and are widely available on the market.”  

However the European Partnership for Energy and Environment, and industry group made up of 40 companies who make or use HFCs, says the Parliament’s position is “asking for the impossible.”  

“We are very disappointed that the Environment Committee has chosen the course of command and control politics with the highest price tag that Europeans will have to pay for,” said EPEE’s Andrea Voigt in June. “EPEE members are always looking for the optimal refrigerant solution, but there is no perfect refrigerant suitable for all applications. So laws need to be flexible to be able to cope with the many technologies and sectors involved.”  

HFCs have been increasingly used over the past two decades as a substitute for hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) gas, which damages the ozone layer. However in recent years HFCs were found to be doing serious global warming damage, and new alternatives that don’t deplete the ozone layer or cause global warming are being developed

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