§ The Earl of Swintonasked Her Majesty's Government:
What plans they have to establish a United Kingdom refrigerant bank.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of the Environment (The Earl of Arran)We are pleased to announce that a United Kingdom refrigerant bank, the Refrigerant Users Group (RUG) is being launched tomorrow. RUG is being set up by the refrigeration industry with our support to manage the existing stocks of refrigerants efficiently and environmentally. It is being set up as part of HUNC Ltd. and will have the same role for refrigerants that HUNC has performed in relation to halons. It will act as a clearing house, putting those who need to continue using recycled CFCs in touch with those who have spare CFCs for sale. This is the first refrigerant bank to be set up in Europe.
The establishment of RUG is a vital step in allowing us to phase out CFC production by the end of this year. It will enable existing equipment to be serviced using recycled material and allow an orderly phaseout. It shows UK Government and UK industry commitment to phase out ozone depleting substances as quickly and safely as possible. RUG is a very good example of industry's willingness to support us in achieving a common environmental goal.