Guest Author
Lifecycle refrigerant management was the theme of the recent 36th Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol (MOP36) in Bangkok, Thailand. A large Australian delegation attended, providing important updates on leak rates, maintenance, refrigerant recovery, and end-of-life destruction to a global audience.
Many leaks form a flood
MOP36 saw the launch of a new report developed by Expert Group on behalf of Refrigerants Australia, offering the first ever calculation of leak rates across many product categories. It also highlights that most of these leaks are preventable.
Although “leaks” might sound small, they add up to massive direct emissions. The report estimates that cumulative leak emissions from 2022 to 2036 will be 91Mt CO2e – almost equal to the entire 2022 refrigerant bank emitted over the 15 years of the projection.
It is estimated that a further 57.8Mt CO2e of refrigerants will be emitted over the period at equipment end of life (EOL). This is based on the assumption that about 20 per cent of EOL refrigerants are captured.
“The report confirms that, while some common causes of leaks have been effectively eliminated over the last decade, the majority of the remaining causes of direct emissions are preventable,” says Expert Group Managing Director Peter Brodribb, M.AIRAH.
“These causes are largely due to poor-quality equipment and materials, use of components that are susceptible to leaking, substandard installation practices, and inadequate maintenance.”
Measurement and management
The report begins with a tribute to Pat McInerney, former Director of the Mercury, Ozone and Climate Protection Section at DCCEEW, who passed away earlier this year. One of McInerney’s achievements was enabling the gathering of data on Australia’s refrigerant bank and the fleet of HVAC&R equipment.
“For the past 20 years, Australia has been actively developing and verifying data in this area, including tracking imports of refrigerant in equipment and as bulk refrigerant imports,” says Brodribb. “Additionally, we have an annual assessment of the industry through the Cold Hard Facts research series. This series underpins a detailed and world-class assessment of the bank of HFCs employed in the Australian RAC sector.”
The richness of the data came to the fore when the research was presented in Bangkok.
“Japan collects great data as well, and Ray Gluckman has a model for the EU that is world class,” says Brodribb, “but no one has the detail that we have. The big difference is we collect market data, and because we are an island we collect great customs data in terms of bulk import and pre-charged equipment import data.”
Continuous improvement
Using data captured across 15 product categories, the report demonstrates that in air conditioning systems – both stationary and mobile – leakage rates have declined steadily and markedly since 2000.
While leakage rates have also come down in commercial refrigeration, the reduction is not as significant and remains stuck at 15 per cent per year. The evidence collected also demonstrates that companies focusing on maintenance can bring leakage rates down to single figures.
“The research we presented provided robust evidence that good manufacturing practices and competent refrigerant management is both achievable and essential to reducing environmental impact,” says Greg Picker, Executive Director of Refrigerants Australia, who also attended MOP36.
“We aim to provide policy-makers with evidence-backed recommendations, enabling businesses to recognise the benefits of upholding high standards in refrigerant maintenance and management.”
Picker will be presenting the report at AIRAH’s RefCon25 conference in March 2025.
Collaboration the key
Refrigerant Reclaim Australia (RRA) also attended MOP36, and RRA Chair Greg Brooker, Affil.AIRAH, took the opportunity to reflect on Australia’s stewardship model, which over the past 30 years has evolved from a voluntary program into a co-regulated, industry-led stewardship system. Brooker noted that Australia’s approach has been successful because of strong collaboration between industry and government.
“For the Australian model to continue to evolve effectively, all voices need to be at the table,” says Brooker. “Our commitment ensures that policymakers can make informed, practical decisions that truly serve the industry and the environment”.
According to RRA, the sentiment resonated strongly with other meeting participants from around the world.
Another topic of conversation was maintenance, and the benefits that would come from better leak prevention and proactive maintenance protocols.
“Adopting a proactive maintenance approach could bring multiple benefits to Australia,” Brooker says. “Reduced emissions, improved energy performance, and a structured end-of-life process for RACHP equipment.”
Regulation for all refrigerants
RRA General Manager Kylie Farrelley was also part of the Australian delegation.
“Lifecycle refrigerant management is an emerging topic on the global stage, and it was important for the RRA delegation to witness how countries worldwide are now beginning to embrace practices that Australia has been implementing for some time,” she says.
According to Farrelley, the meeting highlighted the value of comprehensive regulations for all refrigerant types. Currently, Australia’s Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management legislation only covers CFC, HCFC and HFC refrigerants, but not HFOs or naturals.
“We increasingly recognise that for effective outcomes, all refrigerants must be included in regulatory frameworks and international models,” Farrelley says.
More information on the 36th Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol (MOP36) is available at the UNEP website.
Image courtesy of Earth Negotiations Bulletin
Leave a Reply