Joint release with the Ministry of the EnvironmentResults of the Amount of Destroyed Fluorocarbons Pursuant to the Law for Ensuring the Implementation, Recovery and Destruction of Fluorocarbons Concerning Specified Products of FY2011

1) Amount of destroyed fluorocarbons

According to the reports from the operators, the total amount of the fluorocarbons destroyed in FY2011 is approximately 4,116 tons, a decrease of approximately 1% from the FY 2010 amount.

The amount is broken down by type of fluorocarbon into: approximately 226 tons of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), approximately 2,362 tons of hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), and approximately 1,528 tons of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). The amount of the destroyed HCFCs has increased from the previous year, but those of CFCs and HFCs have decreased from the previous year.

2) Amount of recovered fluorocarbons according to type of specified product

An analysis of the amount of the fluorocarbons recovered by the operators according to the types of specified products defined in the Fluorocarbons Recovery and Destruction Law shows that approximately 3,430 tons of fluorocarbons were recovered from Class 1 specified products (commercial refrigerators and air conditioners), an increase of approximately 4% from the FY 2010 amount, and that approximately 679 tons of fluorocarbons were recovered from Class 2 specified products (vehicle air conditioners)*, a decrease of approximately 25% from the FY 2010 amount.

*Note: Recovery of fluorocarbons from vehicle air conditioners has been implemented since January 2005, pursuant to the Act on Recycling, etc. of End-of-Life Vehicles.

Aggregate Amount of Destroyed Fluorocarbons in FY2011

(Unit: kg)

* These figures have been rounded off to the nearest integer and may not add up to the indicated total.

Pursuant to the provision of the Fluorocarbons Recovery and Destruction Law enforced from FY2002, fluorocarbons must be recovered from Class 1 and Class 2 specified products and destroyed when such products are discarded. Concerning Class 2 specified products mounted on end-of-life vehicles that have been handed over to recovery operators on or after January 1, 2005, fluorocarbons are recovered under the Act on Recycling, etc. of End-of-Life Vehicles, and recovered fluorocarbons are destroyed by fluorocarbon destruction operators under the Fluorocarbons Recovery and Destruction Law.

The Fluorocarbons Recovery and Destruction Law states that fluorocarbon destruction operators shall report, every year, the amount of the destroyed fluorocarbons in the previous fiscal year within 45 days from the end of the fiscal year (Article 34 (3) of the Law) to the competent minister, and the competent minister shall disclose the status of the recovered and destroyed fluorocarbons relating to specified products and other information on fluorocarbons, organizing the matters pertaining to the report (Article 46 of the Law).

Under the Articles, based on the FY2011 reports from such operators on the amount of the destroyed fluorocarbons and other matters, METI and MOE have jointly compiled the results of the reports and hereby announce the release of the results.

The compiled results come from the reports submitted by 78 fluorocarbon destruction operators who destroyed fluorocarbons in FY2011 with permission from the competent minister.

Prefectural governors will aggregate the FY2011 reports that were submitted by fluorocarbon recovery operators who recover Class 1 specified products (entities commercially engaged in recovery of fluorocarbons in Class 1 specified products), and the aggregated reports will be sent to the competent ministers (Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry and Minister of the Environment) and compiled for announcement.

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)

CFCs are a type of fluorocarbons, and are used as refrigerants, foaming agents, detergents and other agents. CFCs are an ozone-destroying substance, and their production was totally abolished at the end of 1995 under the Montreal Protocol. In general, CFCs are gases that have a stronger greenhouse effect than HCFCs and HFCs.

Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs)

HCFCs are a type of fluorocarbons, and were initially developed as a substitute for CFCs. Although they are less effective than CFCs, they still have an ozone-depleting effect. HCFCs will be totally abolished in Japan in 2019 pursuant to the Montreal Protocol. HCFCs are gases that have a strong greenhouse effect.

Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)

HFCs are a type of fluorocarbons, or chlorofluorocarbon-replacing material initially developed as a substitute for CFCs and HCFCs. Although they have no ozone-depleting effects, HFCs are gases that have a strong greenhouse effect and are subject to reduction under the Kyoto Protocol.

Fluorocarbon destruction operators

Fluorocarbon destruction operators are entities commercially engaged in destruction of fluorocarbons in specified products (Class 1 and Class 2 specified products) as refrigerants.

Aggregate Amount of Destroyed Fluorocarbons in FY2010

(Unit: kg)

* These figures have been rounded off to the nearest integer and may not add up to the indicated total.

Excerpts from Fluorocarbons Recovery and Destruction Law

Article 34 (3)

Pursuant to the provision of the ordinance of the competent ministry, fluorocarbon destruction operators shall report, every fiscal year, the amount of the destroyed fluorocarbons for each type of fluorocarbon in the previous fiscal year and other matters specified by an ordinance of the competent ministry.

Article 46

The competent minister shall disclose the status of recovered and destroyed fluorocarbons relating to specified products and other information on fluorocarbons, organizing the matters pertaining to a notice under paragraph 4 of Article 22 or a report under paragraph 3 of Article 34 and other information collected under other provisions of the Law.

August 3, 2012

Fluoride Gases Management Office, Chemical Management Policy Division, Manufacturing Industries Bureau