The Ministry of Climate, Energy, and Environment and the Korea Environment Corporation announced that they will hold a kickoff meeting for the 'Refrigerant Lifecycle Management Pilot Project' on May 12 at the Sharing and Empathy Conference Room in Yongsan, Seoul.
The core of this pilot project is to implement a circular system that recovers waste refrigerants from devices such as air conditioners and refrigerators and regenerates them for reuse. The government aims to systematically manage the entire process of refrigerant usage, recovery, and regeneration to enhance the effectiveness of greenhouse gas reduction.
Hydrofluorocarbons, widely used as refrigerants, were developed to replace ozone-depleting substances like chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs). However, HFCs have a global warming potential (GWP) that can be up to 12,400 times greater than that of carbon dioxide, making them significant contributors to global warming.
In response, the international community agreed in 2016 under the Montreal Protocol to designate HFCs as regulated substances and to phase them out gradually. As the need for refrigerant management grows domestically, discussions on related regulatory frameworks are accelerating.
Industry stakeholders have raised concerns about instances where refrigerants are not properly recovered during the maintenance or disposal of equipment like air conditioners and refrigerators, leading to leaks into the atmosphere. Once charged, refrigerants can remain in devices for extended periods, which can significantly impact greenhouse gas emissions if management gaps occur.
Current air quality regulations mandate refrigerant recovery only for large equipment with a legal refrigeration capacity of 20 RT or more. However, many medium and small-sized devices are excluded from this requirement, raising ongoing concerns about regulatory gaps.
The pilot project will involve participation from Chungcheongnam-do and the Seoul Transportation Corporation, which plan to actively recover waste refrigerants from devices and products not covered by legal regulations. A system for managing residual refrigerants in containers and recovering, regenerating, and reusing refrigerants will also be established.
The Ministry of Climate plans to expand efforts to remove moisture and contaminants from waste refrigerants to utilize them as regenerated refrigerants of new product quality. This initiative aims to reduce dependence on the production and import of new refrigerants and strengthen the foundation for a circular economy.
Based on the results of this pilot project, the ministry will also pursue the establishment of a 'Refrigerant Management Act' (tentative title) that encompasses the recovery, transportation, regeneration, and disposal of refrigerants.
Kim Jin-sik, Director of the Air Quality Division at the Ministry of Climate, stated, "Hydrofluorocarbon refrigerants can leak for over 15 years after being charged, making thorough management essential for achieving national greenhouse gas reduction targets (NDC). We will do our utmost to ensure that the systems introduced through this pilot project are implemented smoothly in the field."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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