A report by the Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) on refrigerant management has found the United Kingdom (UK) to top its refrigerant recovery rate table.

The report, entitled “Research Project 8018, Review of Refrigerant Management Programs,” looks at refrigerant management and recycling programs implemented in key regions of the world, evaluating their effectiveness, and determining best practices as they relate to the U.S. refrigerant landscape.

The report covers seven primary areas: Australia, Canada, California, the European Union, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States, together with a high-level review of activities in China and Brazil.

The focus areas of research also includes the current processes for original equipment manufacturers, contractors, end users, and reclaimers to handle refrigerants, how and where refrigerant recycling happens, and the amount of refrigerants ultimately destroyed.

The UK recorded the highest reported rate of recovery, with estimates of 65-92 percent depending on end-use.

Japan was identified as destroying the highest tonnage of refrigerants per year, with a 1.8 times increase in annual refrigerant recovered from commercial equipment since 2006, while Australia recovers between 35 percent and 61 percent of refrigerant, with the majority being destroyed.

“This report marks the culmination of the largest effort ever attempted to determine the refrigerant ‘lay of the land’ on a global scale,” said Karim Amrane, AHRI senior vice president of regulatory and international policy.

“The information it contains will be invaluable as the world moves closer to phasing down HFCs and replacing them over the coming decades,” he added.

Content for the European Spotlight is provided courtesy of Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Magazine, London. For more information, visit www.racplus.com.

Publication date: 2/22/2016

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