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| Follow-up Report on the Status of Measures Under the Chlorofluorocarbons Recovery Promotion Program |
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September 1, 1999
The Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) announced the Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) Recovery Promotion Program in April 1997, requesting all concerned industry associations to construct systems for the recovery of CFCs on a voluntary basis and asking user industries, local government bodies, and other organizations for their understanding and cooperation with this program. Since last year’s review, MITI has compiled this report on the results of measures taken under the program until now.
1.Measures by concerned industries (1) Steady implementation of action plans (refer to Appendix 1 for details of the progress achieved by organizations that have enacted voluntary action plans) The progress achieved by concerned industry associations that have enacted voluntary action plans and the results of MITI’s review are as follows. i. Automobile air conditioners The CFCs recovery and destruction system construct by the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association and other concerned parties began operating from January 1998, and its nationwide expansion was completed in October 1998. By the end of July 1999, 3,000 companies were registered under this system (some 2,400 companies had been registered by October 1998). During the six months from February through July 1999, about 74 tons of CFCs were recovered and destructed (during the six months from February through July 1998, the amount had been about 16 tons). Other measures for automobile air conditioners include the systems established by local government bodies and the independent recovery and processing of CFCs by automobile dismantling firms (the third route). Including these, 140 tons of CFCs were recovered during fiscal year 1998, for a recovery rate of approximately 12% on a weight basis. During the six months from February through July 1999, the recovery rate increased to about 17%. Furthermore, the Used Automobile Recycling Initiative announced by MITI in May 1997 views the recovery of CFCs as an important issue in the process of used automobile disposal, and the Manifest System for the Disposal of Used Automobiles introduced by MITI, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, and the Ministry of Transport in December 1998 includes the recovery of CFCs as an inspection item. These programs have contributed to promoting the recovery of CFCs. In user education, the concerned industry associations have been conducting public relations activities via the mass media and through the distribution of posters and leaflets. The range covered by these approaches and the upgrading of recovery systems has been expanding, but both are still insufficient and the usage of existing systems should be further increased. To these ends, the concerned industry associations should continue to expand the number of registered businesses, and further increase their promotion and education activities. Furthermore, because incorporating CFC recovery into the recycling systems for used automobiles is an effective means of promoting the recovery of CFCs, the concerned parties should work to expand participation in the Used Automobile Recycling Initiative and the Manifest System for the Disposal of Used Automobiles. Especially, the development of a framework and the provision of assistance to incorporate used car dealers and automobile dismantling firms is an especially urgent issue, and it is important that these considerations move forward as quickly as possible. ii. Commercial refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment Efforts have been made to upgrade and expand systems for the certain and safe recovery of CFCs. Until now, 2,237 businesses have been recognized as “certified refrigerant recovery business establishments,” and 9,115 technicians have been certified as “registered recovery technicians.” (As of June 1998, these figures were 1,511 and 2,858). Figures compiled by the Japan Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Industry Association and the Japan Association of Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Contractors show that 665 tons of CFCs were recovered in fiscal 1998 (versus 632 tons in fiscal 1997). Including systems established by local government bodies, the recovery rate was approximately 56% on a weight basis. The users of commercial refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment span diverse industries. To further promote CFC recovery, the concerned industry associations should pursue stronger appeals to the user industries, conclude standard refrigerant recovery contracts with individual users, gain their understanding and cooperation, and implement additional user education activities. iii. Household refrigerators Until now, the disposal of household refrigerators has been handled by municipal governments and household appliance sales outlets. Under the Law for Recycling of Specified Kinds of Consumer Electric Goods (the “Household Appliance Recycling Law”), however, which was promulgated on June 5, 1998, and will come into effect from April 2001, the manufacturers will construct recycling systems, and in principle, they will conduct the recovery of CFCs as part of the recycling process. Consequently, the manufacturers are moving forward with their investigations into the development of efficient recovery systems and disposal technologies (including not only the refrigerant itself, but also the CFCs in the insulation materials), and are preparing “household appliance recycling plants” as processing facilities. The CFC recovery rate from household refrigerators is presently approximately 29%, and this will slightly improve until the Household Appliance Recycling Law comes into effect as the manufacturers and other concerned parties prepare their recycling systems. Meanwhile, the concerned industry associations have been providing CFC recovery equipment and containers to businesses and local government bodies free of charge. Specifically, they have provided 777 recovery units and 3,283 containers as of the end of March 1999 (versus 628 and 2,562 as of the end of March 1998). These associations should continue to provide free equipment to further promote the recovery of CFCs from household refrigerators by local government bodies. iv. CFC producers CFC processing plants operated by three CFC producers are in operation. During fiscal 1998, a total of 286.6 tons of CFCs were processed at this plant (about 3 tons during fiscal 1997). The concerned business association has distributed a pamphlet explaining the efforts of CFC producer to government ministries and agencies and related associations. The producers should work to further explain their efforts to all concerned parties (for example, to industries that use commercial refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment) and otherwise increase their CFC processing volume. (2) Educational activities for users (businesses and consumers) The concerned industry associations are implementing diverse educational activities to gain the understanding and cooperation of users (businesses and consumers), including the distribution of pamphlets and posters and the incorporation of detailed information in manuals. Although parties already engaged in CFC recovery are upgrading their infrastructures, more effort will be needed to gain user understanding and cooperation regarding the need to share the cost burden with users (consumers and others) and with concerned businesses. (3) Promotion of efforts by users and other concerned industries The concerned industries, especially the users of commercial refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment, have been explicitly stipulating their measures for the recovery of CFCs in their environmental action plans. In the distribution industry also, several business associations have incorporated CFC recovery into their action plans. Henceforth the user industries should examine more concrete measures, including means to accurately grasp the status of CFC recovery and the consignment of CFC recovery operations to businesses that will conduct this work in an appropriate manner. MITI should also endeavor to establish closer linkages with user industries and government ministries and agencies, using the Council for Promotion of Measures to Protect the Ozone Layer, which is comprised of 18 ministries and agencies concerned with measures to protect the ozone layer. (4) Linkages with local government bodies Local government bodies play an important role in the promotion of CFC recovery. It will be important for the concerned industry associations and their local branches to deepen their ties with municipal and prefectural governments and with their trade and industry bureaus. 2.Measures by local government bodies(1) Provision of information to local residents Many local government bodies are conducting educational activities regarding the need to recover CFCs by distributing pamphlets, holding lectures, providing information via the Internet, among others. As the closest administrative organs to the citizens, it will be important for local government bodies to further increase their educational activities and provision of information via all kinds of events and public relations to gain the widespread understanding and cooperation of residents as CFC users. (2) Measures by CFC recovery promotion associations CFC recovery promotion associations play an important role in promoting voluntary measures for the recovery, reuse, and processing of specified CFCs. Associations of this kind have now been established in almost all prefectures and major cities. (At the end of fiscal 1998, they had been established in all prefectures except two). Some associations have established subsidy systems for the rental and purchase of recovery equipment as a means to further promote CFC recovery. Other associations should consider taking a similar approach. It will also be important for local government bodies to continue promoting the activities of these associations with the wide participation of all concerned parties. 3. Measures by consumers(1) Cooperation in the recovery of CFCs from automobile air conditioners, household refrigerators and other products. Besides turning over their used equipment to the CFC recovery systems established by the related industries, consumers will also need to share the financial burden of recovery and processing. To these ends, further consumer dissemination and education activities by the government will be indispensable. 4. Measures by the central government(1) Appropriate follow-up of measures and public disclosure The first review of the Chlorofluorocarbons Recovery Promotion Program was released in September 1998. Now that two years have passed since the main concerned business associations have enacted their voluntary plans, this second follow-up report provides a more detailed examination and evaluation, including the estimated recovery rates. The government will widely distribute the contents of this report to the citizens, and it should continue with these kinds of follow-up activities. The government is continuing its survey of regulatory trends overseas, and it will be necessary to expand the collection of information to include figures also on recovery rates in foreign countries. (2) Passage of the Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR) System Law The Law Concerning Reporting, etc. of Release of Specific Chemical Substances to the Environment and Promotion of the Improvement of Their Management (the PRTR System Law) was enacted and promulgated in July 1999 to promote improved voluntary management of harmful chemical substances by businesses and to prevent any interference with environmental protection beforehand. The purview of this law includes substances that damage the ozone layer, and the specific contents, including the target industries and substances, will be subsequently specified by cabinet order. With the implementation of this law, businesses themselves will be required to report the quantities of CFCs they release into the environment, and the law is expected to contribute to a greater awareness of CFC recovery among businesses. (3) Promotion of measures by a wider range of businesses Especially, immediate efforts are required for automobile air conditioners and commercial refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment because many diverse parties are involved. Specifically, it will be important for the ministries and agencies concerned to promote further voluntary measures in accordance with the establishment of voluntary action plans, for example, among the bus and truck industry (as users of automobile air conditioners) and among building demolition companies (as parties concerned with commercial refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment). Furthermore, it will be necessary for the Council for Promotion of Measures to Protect the Ozone Layer (comprising 18 ministries and agencies) to continue with follow-up on the measures being implemented. (4) Assistance to small and medium-sized enterprises The Japan Small and Medium Enterprise Corporation is providing small and medium-sized enterprises with technical guidance and information concerning the recovery of CFCs. An “environmental countermeasures loan system” has also been established (by the Small Business Finance Corporation and the People’s Finance Corporation) to provide financing to small and medium-sized enterprises that introduce recovery equipment. As for future measures, it will be necessary to conduct surveys on the performance of CFC recovery by these enterprises, to publicize the results of these surveys, and to promote the greater use of financing systems for CFC recovery equipment. (5) Provision of information to citizens and local government bodies In regard to the provision of information via public relations activities, the government has designated the month of September as “ozone layer protection measures promotion month,” held lecture meetings at 11 sites nationwide, conducted educational activities about measures to protect the ozone layer, and provided information about the need to recover CFCs and about the status of CFC recovery and processing systems. Central government representatives also participate in local government association meetings held in each regional bloc (bloc meetings have been held in six regions so far), and they exchange information about the status of recovery systems. The government should continue providing information regarding recovery performance and the status of measures taken by concerned industries. As outlined above, the measures being taken by parties concerned with the recovery of CFCs are steadily proceeding, and the performance is improving. To further increase the amount of CFC recovery in each field, measures must be taken and the problems solved from a realistic perspective based on facts, recognizing that the users and the flow of scrapped equipment are not uniform. For this purpose, with the promotion of voluntary efforts by industry groups as the foundation, the cooperation of users (businesses and consumers) and the support of local government bodies and the central government will be indispensable. MITI will continue to follow up on these measures, and the entire government will work toward the promotion of further measures for the recovery of CFCs. *Click Here for "Appendix 1: Progress achieved by Organizations with Established Voluntary plans" For inquiries regarding this paper, please contact Mr. Ooka, Mr. Kobayashi, or Mr. Hishinuma, Ozone Layer Protection Policy Office, Basic Industries Bureau, Ministry of International Trade and Industry. Tel: 03-3501-4724 Fax: 03-3501-6604 |
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