CCAC Commits to Scaling Up Action on Short-Lived Climate Pollutants

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3 September 2013: Members of the Climate and Clean Air Coalition to Reduce Short-Lived Climate Pollutants (CCAC) met for the third meeting of the High Level Assembly, adopting a Communiqué reiterating their commitment to address near-term climate change, improve air quality and public health, and strengthen food and energy security, by taking urgent action to reduce emissions of short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) like black carbon, methane, tropospheric ozone, and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).

In the Communiqué, CCAC members encourage a global awareness-raising effort to prevent air pollution-related diseases, which account for over six million deaths annually. The Communiqué also includes sections on scaling-up global efforts on: oil and natural gas production; municipal solid waste; hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) alternative technology and standards; heavy duty diesel vehicles and engines; support to national planning for action on SLCPs; brick production; household cooking and domestic heating; and regional assessments of SLCPs.

The meeting of the Assembly, which took place on 3 September 2013, in Oslo, Norway, was co-hosted by Norway's Minister of Environment and the Minister of International Development. At the meeting, Norway committed to contributing an additional 110 million Norwegian kroner (approximately US$20 million) to reduce emissions of SLCPs in developing countries.

The CCAC also announced three new members, namely: the Nordic Environment Finance Corporation; the Centre for Science and Environment; and Local Governments for Sustainability. The Coalition now brings together 72 partners, including 33 government partners, the European Commission, eight intergovernmental organizations and 30 non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

Launched in February 2012, CCAC aims to catalyze action on reducing black carbon, methane, certain hydroflurocarbons (HFCs) and other short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) to maximize agricultural, climate, energy and health benefits. The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) hosts the Coalition Secretariat. [UNEP Press Release] [Communiqué] [CCAC Website] [CCAC Press Release]

read more: http://climate-l.iisd.org/news/ccac-commits-to-scaling-up-action-on-short-lived-climate-pollutants/

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Eco-friendly car refrigerant 'turns into deadly gas it vehicle catches fire'

By Henry Samuel, Paris

7:34PM GMT 17 Jan 2012

A new "eco-friendly" car refrigerant expected to become the industry standard turns into a deadly gas if the vehicle housing it catches fire and should be shelved, it has been claimed.

The coolant for car mobile air conditioning systems, called HFO-1234yf, has been approved for use in the US, Japan and Europe and Toyota and Suburu have started fitting their cars with the substance.

It was chosen as it is produces 98 per cent less climate damaging that its predecessor, R134a.

However, a German expert on the compound has warned that it is should be scrapped as it is much more flammable than the current coolant and when heated above 500C (932F) releases hydrogen fluoride, a highly toxic gas. Temperatures in car fires can easily reach twice that heat.

"You have 600g of this cooling agent per car, which if it burned completely would produce 200g of hydrogen fluoride at a level of concentration that is very high. For a human just one gram is deadly – either inhaled in gas form, through the skin or when dissolved in water," warned Prof Andreas Kornath, an inorganic chemistry professor at Munich University who has been studying the substance for 20 years.

The odourless gas has no instant effect but once inside the body a person dies within a day or so in terrible pain due to internal burns and muscle failure.

"This product should not be on the market. There is a real risk every time a car catches fire, which happens 30,000 times per year in Germany alone," he told the Daily Telegraph.

Prof Kornath issued his warning at the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

Honeywell, which produces the product, has refuted the claims.

"The risk of HF formation is not higher than with R134a – and this refrigerant has been used for decades without any recorded incident," said Honeywell's Sabine Chmielewski.

SAE International Cooperative Research Program, which comprises leading automakers, found HFO-1234yf to offer "superior environmental performance" to CO2 while having "the lowest risk for use in mobile air conditioning systems in meeting environmental and consumer needs."

But Prof Kornath alleged the product had been mainly approved on the basis of tests compiled by the chemical makers, not the findings of independent research.

BAM, Germany's Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing, for instance, had warned of the risks of using it, he said.

He recommended using carbon dioxide as a coolant, as the fire risks and toxic hazards were nil.
Toyota confirmed it would start using the new refrigerant in new models starting this year.
The car maker’s spokesman Jean-Yves Jault said: “We think the new refrigerant is as safe, yet much more environmentally friendly, as the previous one. This was confirmed by the SAE CRP investigation whose outcome we support.”

"We undertook flammability tests and risk assessment with an independent third party institute, and the results confirmed the safety of the new refrigerant.”

He said that that the phenomenon of hydrogen fluoride gas is “not new", and that concentration of fluorine atoms was “actually much higher” in the historic refrigerant, R134a.

Halt on gas import

Samisoni Nabilivalu
Friday, December 23, 2011

THE Department of Environment has revealed that a batch of Refrigerant 134A (R134A) sold locally is actually not 100 per-cent R134A.

The imported refrigerant is used in the car air conditioning systems and commercial and domestic refrigeration.

According to the packaging, the cylinder contains R134A but tests conducted by Seru Ramakita, an Ozone Depleting Substances Inspector with Department of Environment, have proven otherwise.

Mr Ramakita made the discovery by accident earlier this year when demonstrating the use of a refrigerant identifier to customs officers at a workshop in Lautoka.

"The R134A I used for the demonstration was not 100 per cent," he said.

"It was cross contaminated with chlorofluorocarbon and hydro chlorofluorocarbons.

"I kept the discovery to myself because it was a big issue.

"I needed more evidence before we could make any moves and I was hoping one of the companies would bring it up as well."

Lincoln Refrigeration Limited director Praveen Singh was the first to approach Mr Ramakita after the processors for some of their fridges kept burning out.

Mr Singh said he suspected the R134A was inferior and Mr Ramakita confirmed his suspicions after he tested the gas.

"We also supply gas and we've never had this problem before.

"We had a shortage of gas, so we bought the R134A from another supplier," Mr Singh said.

Mr Ramakita confirmed all importers, wholesalers, and retailers of the product had been instructed to halt imports and remove the refrigerant from their shelves as investigations continue.

He said many businesses would have suffered unnecessarily if the product had continued to be used.

Mr Ramakita would not identify the manufacturer or local supplier of the product.

Dangerous R-134a Contamination Found Worldwide

December 21, 2011

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By aftermarketNews staff

EXTON, Pa. – Neutronics, a provider of gas analysis and gas handling technologies, yesterday issued a warning distributed by the Mobile Air Conditioning Society, advising that all industries using R-134a refrigerant immediately test all cylinders thought to be virgin R-134a (including new 30 pound cylinders) due to reports of widespread contamination.

Several months ago, Neutronics' Refrigerant Analysis Division was engaged by the ocean-going shipping industry to assist with a R-134a refrigerant contamination problem that reportedly resulted in several deaths and a significant interruption to ocean-going transport. During the course of this activity, Neutronics reports that it was discovered that this dangerous refrigerant contamination problem was not isolated to a single industry but had potentially penetrated the R-134a refrigerant supply for applications in many global markets, including automotive.

Much of the contaminated R-134a refrigerant has been shown to contain significant quantities of R-40 (aka Methyl Chloride or Chloromethane). R-40 is extremely toxic, flammable and highly reactive when exposed to aluminum in that it forms a third, highly volatile compound. Neutronics points out that it is critical to note the safety concerns with R-40. It is a harmful and dangerous material that is not suited for use in R-134a refrigeration air conditioning systems. Most, if not all of the contaminated R-134a has been found in counterfeit labeled "virgin" R-134a cylinders. In one instance, Neutronics says it was reported that "thousands" of 30 lb. R-134a refrigerant cylinders have been found to be counterfeits of name-brand product. Other suspect virgin R-134a containers have also been found to contain large quantities of R-22 and R-12 refrigerants.

Neutronics says it has evaluated the performance of both current and legacy refrigerant identifiers to determine their suitability for use in testing cylinders with the suspect R-40 material. To date, all reported cases of "virgin" cylinder contamination have included at least 30 percent to -40 percent R-40 in the cylinder.

No current or previous Neutronics R-134a identifier is/was designed for detection of R40 as a direct contaminant. Not all Neutronics refrigerant identifiers are suitable for safely detecting the presence of R-40 in R-134a (e.g. the "Mini ID R-134a" identifier is not suitable for R-40 detection).

A new reference chart published by Neutronics Refrigerant Analysis is now available on the Neutronics website that details the various Neutronics Identifiers currently in the field and how they should react when exposed to R-40 refrigerant. Interested parties should visit www.refrigerantid.com for more information. This information will be readily available on the home page.

As refrigerant identification equipment is widely used in the automotive service industry, Neutronics has determined that its "DX" model automotive refrigerant identifier that meets SAE J1771 requirements can be used for testing "virgin" R134a cylinders to determine the possible presence of the R-40 contaminant.

Neutronics Vice President Peter Coll commented, "As far as R-134a contaminants are concerned, R-40 is about as bad as it can get. Neutronics Refrigerant Analysis will continue to work closely with SAE, AHR and all other pertinent organizations to help mitigate this very troublesome development."

For additional information, contact Neutronics toll-free at 800-378-2287.