HC Deb 05 November 1992 vol 213 cc391-4W
Mr. Chris Smith

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment his Department has made of what precentage of companies in the(a) electronics, (b) precision cleaning, (c) metal cleaning and (d) dry cleaning sectors view hydrochlorofluorocarbons as the only alternative to the use of chlorofluorocarbons or methyl chloroform; and what is the current level of emissions of ozone-depleting solvents from the (i) electronics, (ii) precision cleaning, (iii) metal cleaning and (iv) dry cleaning sectors.

Mr. Eggar

Latest information on the use of CFC 113 and methyl chloroform in these sectors and on the proportion of companies which are considering the use of hydrochlorofluorocarbons as an alternative is contained in a report recently commissioned by my Department from Touche Ross management consultants. A copy of the report has been placed in the Library of the House. Information on emissions of ozone-depleting substances from the sectors concerned or on companies which view hydrochlorofluorocarbons to be the only alternative is not available.

Mr. Chris Smith

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what position his Department has taken with regard to proposals by CEN, the European Committee for Standardisation, for a regulation on hydrocarbon refrigeration.

Mr. Eggar

The European Committee for Standardisation brings together the national standards bodies of the European Community and the European Free Trade Association countries. The British Standards Institution is the United Kingdom national member of the European Committee for Standardisation. Through its technical committee structure, the British Standards Institution acts as the main channel for the United Kingdom's input into European standards-making. The determination of the United Kingdom's position on the European Committee for Standardisation proposals concerning hydrocarbon refrigeration is therefore the responsibility of the appropriate British Standards Institution technical committee.

Mr. Chris Smith

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps his Department has taken to promote the use of hydrocarbon refrigerants; and how much funding his Department has spent or committed to research and uptake of hydrocarbon refrigeration technology.

Mr. Eggar

Hydrocarbon refrigerants are among the alternatives to chlorofluorocarbons identified in a booklet on refrigeration and air conditioning published recently by my Department in a series entitled "Protecting the Ozone Layer and Safeguarding Your Business".

No funds have been spent on or committed specifically to the research and uptake of hydrocarbon refrigeration within the past three years. However, my Department and the Department of the Environment operate schemes of financial support for the research, development and diffusion of sound environmental technologies in general and the replacement of ozone-depleting substances is a priority area within those schemes.

Mr. Chris Smith

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps his Department has taken to promote the use of alternatives to HCFCs in(a) refrigeration and air conditioning, (b) foams and (c) solvents.

Mr. Eggar

HCFCs cause less damage to the ozone layer than CFCs and their availability is enabling industry to move out of CFCs more quickly than would otherwise have been the case. However, booklets on refrigeration and air-conditioning, foam blowing and solvents published recently by my Department in the series "Protecting the Ozone Layer and Safeguarding Your Business" provide information and sources of advice on alternatives to the use of ozone-depleting chemicals in the sectors concerned.

Mr. Chris Smith

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment his Department has made of the percentage of demand for HCFCs within the refrigeration and air conditioning industry which results from servicing, maintenance and leaks.

Mr. Eggar

None. However, the problem of loss of refrigerants resulting from servicing, maintenance and leakage is addressed in general terms in a report by March Consulting Group on "CFCs in the UK: Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Industries", commissioned recently by the Department of the Environment.

Mr. Chris Smith

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what essential uses of HCFCs his Department has defined in solvent cleaning; and what is the current and projected demand during the next 10 years of ozone-depleting substanes in solvent cleaning.

Mr. Eggar

No uses of HCFCs in solvent cleaning have yet been defined as essential for the purposes of exemption from future controls currently under discussion in the context of a review of the Montreal protocol.

The latest available forecasts of future demand for ozone-depleting substances in solvent cleaning are contained in two recent reports commissioned by my Department: figures for HCFCs are contained in a "Study of Ozone Depleting Substances" by Coopers and Lybrand; estimates for other ozone-depleting substances are contained in a report on "The Use of CFC 113 and 1,1,1 Tricholorethane as Solvents in UK Industry" by Touche Ross, management consultants. Copies of both reports have been placed in the Library of the House.

Mr. Chris Smith

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what discussions his Department has had with ICI and Rhôone Poulenc regarding their production and export of HCFC22.

Mr. Eggar

Officials in my Department hold regular meetings with both those companies on the question of phasing out ozone-depleting chemicals. Both ICI and Rhone Poulenc are participating in international consortiums evaluating the toxicology and environmental impact of HFC32 as potential replacement for HCFC22. ICI announced KLEA32, a new ozone-benign refrigerant, on 1 July 1992.

Mr. Chris Smith

To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what discussions his Department has had with Sainsbury's regarding the use of HCFCs;

(2) what discussions his Department's officials have had with United Kingdom domestic fridge manufacturers regarding the use of hydrocarbons;

(3) what discussions his Department has had with supermarkets regarding ammonia and absorption refrigeration technology.

Mr. Eggar

Officials in my Department and the Department of the Environment have regular meetings with producers and users of ozone-depleting substances. Trade associations representing the interests of supermarkets, and United Kingdom manufacturers of domestic refrigerators and the refrigeration servicing sector are represented at these meetings. The meetings aim to ensure that manufacturers and users are aware of all current and potential options for accelerating the reduction of dependency on ozone-depleting substances.

Mr. Chris Smith

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what research his Department has undertaken or commissioned on refrigeration systems in Sweden; and what discussions the Department has had with the Swedish authorities regarding legislation restricting the use of HCFCs in refrigeration systems.

Mr. Eggar

My Department has commissioned no research into refrigeration systems in Sweden though information on relevant technological developments in Sweden and other countries is made available to it from time to time in its regular meetings with United Kingdom producers and users of ozone-depleting substances.

The United Kingdom and Sweden are both participating in discussions on future controls on the use of HCFCs in the context of the current review of the Montreal protocol.

Mr. Chris Smith

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what advice his Department has given industry with regard to hydrochlorofluorocarbon phase-out dates; and what representations his Department has recieved from(a) industry, (b) trade associations and (c) HCFC producers regarding phase-out dates of HCFCs.

Mr. Eggar

No dates have been agreed for the phasing-out of hydrochlorofluorocarbons, but my Department has given advice to industry that HCFCs are transitional substances which are likely to be subject to control and eventual phase-out. A range of views have been received from industry, trade associations and producers of HCFCs concerning the timetable for phasing out HCFCs and discussions are continuing.

Mr. Chris Smith

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what discussions his Department has had with German counterparts regarding hydrocarbon refrigeration technology; and if he will instruct departmental officials to visit the German company DDK Scharfenstein to investigate their domestic hydrocarbon fridge.

Mr. Eggar

It is for industry to develop the technologies to replace ozone-depleting substances and my Department and the Department of the Environment operate schemes of financial support to assist industry to do this. I understand that organisations representing producers of refrigeration equipment are aware of recent publicity concerning a domestic hydrocarbon fridge under development in Germany.

Mr. Chris Smith

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what contacts his Department has made with the German company Aerotech regarding ammonia refrigeration systems.

Mr. Eggar

None.

Mr. Chris Smith

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what policy changes he will implement as a result of recent research on the use of solvents for the Department by Touche Ross.

Mr. Eggar

The report by Touche Ross was primarily intended to inform decisions on the timetable for phasing out of ozone-depleting substances which have yet to be taken. My Department will continue to advise and assist industry to switch to alternatives to ozone-depleting substances by the deadlines agreed within the European Communitty and earlier where this is practicable.

Mr. Chris Smith

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what advice his Department has issued to industry with regard to section 33 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and the use of ozone-depleting substances; and what particular industrial processes involving the use of ozone-depleting substances are covered by section 33 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

Mr. Eggar

My Department's advice to industry on section 33 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 is contained in a booklet on refrigeration and air conditioning published in the series "Protecting the Ozone Layer and Safeguarding Your Business". However, section 33 of the Act deals with the treatment, keeping or disposal of controlled waste. It is not specific to any particular process or processes.