Chlorofluorocarbons (Hansard, 22 January 1992)

§ Mr. Simon Hughes
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information he has on past and future private sector research into alternatives to CFCs; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Leigh
The proposed early phase out of Montreal protocol substances has encouraged rapid development of a range of alternative processes in all user sectors. United Kingdom producers continue to be in the forefront of both national and international research into drop-in replacements and new technologies, including the programme for alternative fluorocarbon toxicity testing.

§ Mr. Simon Hughes
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what research his Department has commissioned or carried out into alternatives to CFCs; and what was the(a) cost, (b) type of alternative and (c) company involved in each project for the last five years and for 1992.

§ Mr. Leigh
The Department of Trade and Industry has carried out research and commissioned studies into the economic effects and availability of CFC alternatives, and has funded collaborative industry projects as follows.
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Date Project Type of research Type of alternative Company involved Cost

September—December 1989 CFCs and Halons—the Scope for Recycling and Recovery Market Survey Aerosol Propellants Solvents Refrigerants Foam Blowing Agents Fire Extinguishers Coopers & Lybrand Mott McDonald CS Todds various users and producers £120k

September 1991 Defluxing of electronic assemblies An assessment of CFC replacements Collaborative Research joint MoD/DTI industry Aqueous, Semi Aqueous, and hydrocarbon cleaning, no clean fluxes STC GEC Marconi BAe Dynamics £631k (of which DTI funding £217k

November 1991—Ongoing Further demand for HCFCs and effects of use controls Market Survey HCFCs, alternative refrigerants, foam blowing agents, cleaning technologies Coopers & Lybrand Deloitte, various producers and users Project in progress

To obtain details of cost of research completed prior to 1990 would involve disproportionate costs. There are no firm plans for further research in 1992.

Date	Project	Type of research	Type of alternative	Company involved	Cost
September—December 1989	CFCs and Halons—the Scope for Recycling and Recovery	Market Survey	Aerosol Propellants Solvents Refrigerants Foam Blowing Agents Fire Extinguishers	Coopers & Lybrand Mott McDonald CS Todds various users and producers	£120k
September 1991	Defluxing of electronic assemblies An assessment of CFC replacements	Collaborative Research joint MoD/DTI industry	Aqueous, Semi Aqueous, and hydrocarbon cleaning, no clean fluxes	STC GEC Marconi BAe Dynamics	£631k (of which DTI funding £217k
November 1991—Ongoing	Further demand for HCFCs and effects of use controls	Market Survey	HCFCs, alternative refrigerants, foam blowing agents, cleaning technologies	Coopers & Lybrand Deloitte, various producers and users	Project in progress