Environmental tradeoffs between CFCs and alternative refrigerants

Journal Article · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1992 · ASHRAE Journal (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers); (United States)

OSTI ID:5852170

Epstein, G J; Manwell, S P

In 1987, an international group of scientists and government officials established the Montreal Protocol, an agreement to control the use and release of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), and to schedule a timeline for eliminating their production. This agreement is a historic step in the ongoing process of building consensus regarding environmental impacts of CFCs. This paper reports on the Montreal Protocol and provisions of the 1990 Clean Air Act which specify schedules for phasing out CFC production. For either schedule, all CFCs are to be eliminated from production by the year 2000. In addition, the hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) are likely to face similar restrictions, but probably not for another 25 years. An aggressive tax on CFCs accompanies the phase-out schedule. This tax applies to existing supplier floorstock as well as new production. The results of taxes and regulations are that CFCs users must pay a premium price and may face availability problems. The users of CFC-based air conditioning and refrigeration equipment will have to consider their options and, eventually, will have to install alternative refrigerants or systems.

• OSTI ID: 5852170
• Journal Information: ASHRAE Journal (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers); (United States), Journal Name: ASHRAE Journal (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers); (United States) Vol. 34:1; ISSN ASHRA; ISSN 0001-2491
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
290300* -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Environment
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54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540120 -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
AGREEMENTS
AIR CONDITIONING
AIR POLLUTION
CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
COOLING
FLUIDS
FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS
LAWS
POLLUTION
POLLUTION LAWS
REFRIGERANTS
REFRIGERATION
TAXES
US CLEAN AIR ACT
WORKING FLUIDS