May 7, 2015: Reclamation of HFC Refrigerants Can Eliminate Billions of Tons of Greenhouse Gases
EOS Climate Releases White Paper Analyzing Climate Impact of HFC Refrigerants
SAN FRANCISCO — If 30 percent of hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants are reclaimed for reuse by 2040, approximately 18 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalent would be prevented from reaching the atmosphere over the next 25 years, according to a white paper released by EOS Climate. The white paper was released during the Navigating the American Carbon World conference, a leading forum for discussing climate policy and greenhouse gas markets held in Los Angeles.
“Even with a global agreement to phase down production of HFCs and regulations that promote low-global warming potential (GWP) technology in new equipment, refrigerants already produced will continue to leak powerful greenhouse gases into the atmosphere over the next several decades,” said Jeff Cohen, co-founder of EOS Climate and white paper co-author. “With relatively small changes in practices and little if any additional cost, HFC refrigerants can be recovered, reclaimed, and reused, potentially avoiding emissions equivalent to billions of tons of CO2 between now and 2040 — a critical window to address climate change.”