HC Deb 14 June 2004 vol 422 cc615-7W
Norman Baker

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the estimated levels of(a) emissions and (b) removals were for (i) hydrofluorocarbons, (ii) perfluorocarbons and (iii) sulphurhexafluoride in each year from 1990 to 2002, expressed in (A) unit tonnes and (B) thousand tonne carbon dioxide equivalents. [176931]

Mr. Morley

The following tables show the estimated emissions for these gases in (A) tonnes and (B) thousand tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent, as published in the latest UK Greenhouse gas inventory, released in April 2004. There are no removals of these gases estimated in the UK inventory.

(A) Emissions of HFCs, PFCs, SF6 in tonnes
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995
HFC 973.9 1,022.8 1,064.0 1,231.0 1,588.5 2,155.3
PFC 204.0 170.0 81.8 68.7 67.5 63.4
SF6 45.3 47.3 49.2 51.0 51.7 54.0
1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002
HFC 2,762.9 3,644.9 4,233.7 3,822.8 4,128.6 4,646.9 5,267.6
PFC 68.3 61.1 60.1 60.2 73.5 60.2 52.5
SF6 55.2 53.4 54.9 61.6 77.5 61.0 66.7
(B) Emissions of HFCs, PFCs, SF6 in thousand tonne carbon dioxide equivalent
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995
HFC 11,375.4 11,854.0 12,323.5 12,999.9 14,009.7 15,490.9
PFC 1,393.7 1,164.2 570.7 485.2 481.2 457.4
SF6 1,081.9 1,130.4 1,176.2 1,219.2 1,235.0 1,291.3
1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002
HFC 16,720.1 19,181.4 17,268.0 10,829.9 9,081.3 9,727.5 10,418.3
PFC 496.3 450.1 441.1 446.3 541.4 437.5 383.5
SF6 1,318.6 1,275.1 1,311.8 1,472.3 1,852.1 1,457.5 1,594.0

Norman Baker

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (1) what steps her Department has taken to measure the leakage of(a) hydrofluorocarbons, (b) perfluorocarbons and (c) sulphurhexafluoride from appliances in the UK; [176932]

(2) if the Department will take steps to improve the (a) quality and (b) quantity of independent monitoring of the leakage of hydrofluorocarbons. [176990]

Mr. Morley

Defra commissioned a study from AEA Technology as independent contractors to estimate annual UK emissions of hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons and sulphur hexafluoride. The final report was published in July 2003. The report estimated emissions from a range of appliances that contain these chemicals. Leakage rates were estimated drawing on information obtained through consultation with UK industry and NGOs and leakage rates published by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

The report represents the best possible estimates of hydrofluorocarbons that could be made at that time. My Department will continue to keep under review the scope for obtaining better estimates and the timing of any such work.

Norman Baker

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps have been taken to improve the containment of fluorinated gases; what funding has been made available for such containment in each year since 1997; what reduction there has been in the leakage of these gases as a result of these steps; and how the effects of these steps have been(a) assessed and (b) recorded. [176991]

Mr. Morley

Reductions in emissions of fluorinated gases have to date largely been driven by technological development and voluntary action by industry. Based on best estimates, total UK emissions fell from 17,240 kt CO2 equivalent in 1995 to about 11,475 kt CO2 in 2000. Emissions are expected to increase again to about 13,242 kt equivalent by 2005 and then steadily decrease to about 10,369 kt CO2 in 2025.

The proposed EC Regulation on fluorinated gases will introduce EU wide controls on certain uses of fluorinated gases, as well as provisions relating to containment and recovery.

Norman Baker

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the progress made by her Department in reducing the leakage of hydrofluorocarbons from refrigerators. [176992]

Mr. Morley

Based on information in a study commissioned by Defra and published in 2003, the percentage of new domestic refrigerators using hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) is expected to decrease to 10 per cent. by 2005 and to 5 per cent. by 2010, following a switch to hydrocarbon based refrigerants. HFCs in refrigerators are recovered for destruction under existing arrangements for disposing of waste fridges.

The proposed EC Regulation on fluorinated gases will introduce EU wide provisions relating to leakage testing of commercial scale stationary refrigeration equipment. Subject to a text being finalised, further measures will address the need to repair detected leakage as soon as possible. Other provisions will require training and certification programmes to be established for those servicing refrigerators and for records to be kept. The Government believe that these provisions will provide a valuable framework for addressing HFC leakages in the commercial refrigeration sector.

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