§ Mr. CongdonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has on the use of chlorofluorocarbons in the United Kingdom refrigeration and air conditioning industry.
§ Mr. MacleanMy Department commissioned a study, from the March Consulting Group, on CFC use in the refrigeration and air conditioning industry, which is published by HMSO today. A copy has been placed in the Library of the House. The report shows that the United Kingdom market for refrigeration and air conditioning equipment has grown from £339 million in 1986 to £632 million in 1990. The industry has cut its consumption of CFCs over this period by some 15 per cent. overall.
The report also shows that 72 per cent. of new CFCs are used for servicing existing equipment. Users of refrigeration and air conditioning equipment must act quickly to set up leak detection systems, to monitor the refrigerant they use, and to recover and recycle. If they do not act quickly and responsibly, they could experience a severe shortage of CFCs after production has stopped, which will be at the end of 1995 at the latest.