Monday, 28 September 2020

CCAC Science Policy Dialogue

Session 2 “Life Cycle Management (refrigerant end of life)”

Ms. Asako Toyozumi

Office of Fluorocarbon Control Policy

Ministry of the Environment, Japan

Japan’s Policy and Legislation on Life Cycle Management of Refrigerant

2

1. Background and History of legislation and regulation

In order to further strengthen the emission control of fluorocarbons that cause ozone depletion and climate change, Japan developed several related legislation since 1990s. (Fluorocarbons = CFC, HCFC, and HFC)

1987 Agreement of the original Montreal Protocol

1988 Ozone Layer Protection Law In order to implement obligation to reduce production and consumption of fluorocarbons based on the Montreal Protocol, manufactures and imports of fluorocarbons are controlled.

1995 Completed phase out of CFC production

1998 Home Appliance Recycling Law

2001 Law Concerning the Recovery and Destruction of Fluorocarbons

2002 End-of-life Vehicle Recycling Law

2015 Act on Rational Use and Proper Management of FluorocarbonsRenamed from the Recovery and Destruction of Fluorocarbons Law. Aiming for restraining emission of fluorocarbons, the Act provides comprehensive approaches throughout the lifecycle of fluorocarbons, including periodical inspection of commercial refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment using fluorocarbons, in addition to recovery of fluorocarbons from these equipment at the time of disposal.

2019 Revised Act on Rational Use and Proper Management of FluorocarbonsFurther strengthened the obligations of equipment managers.

3

2-1. Overview of Legislation for Fluorocarbons<

LA

WS

> Act on Rational Use

and Proper

Management of

Fluorocarbons

<T

AR

GE

TS

> Commercial

refrigerators and

A/Cs

<L

AW

S>

End-of-life Vehicle

Recycling Law<

TA

RG

ET

S>

Automobile A/Cs

<L

AW

S>

Home

Appliance

Recycling Law <T

AR

GE

TS

> Domestic

Refrigerators and A/Cs

(+TVs, Washing Machines)

Japan’s Legislation for controlling Fluorocarbons

4

2-2. Overview of Legislation for Fluorocarbons

Home Appliance Recycling Law(Official announcement in June 1998, Full enforcement in April 2001)Appliances to be recycled:

Conditioner, TV(CRT, Liquid Crystal*,Plasma TV）Refrigerator/Freezer, Washing Machine/Clothes Dryer

1) Pass over the used appliances in a proper manner2) Pay the fees for the appliances to be collected, transported and recycled etc..

Disp

ose

Obligation to collect

1) Appliances they sold in the past and subject to the Act2) Used appliances which a discharger brought in upon purchasing a new item

Obligation to pass over

Retailers

Co

llectio

n/Tran

spo

rt

Recycle criteria Air Conditioner: 80%, CRT TV: 55%, Liquid Crystal/Plasma TV: 74%, Refrigerator/Freezer: 70%, Washing Machine/Clothes Dryer: 82%

Manufacturers/Importers Designated Corporations

Re

cycling etc.

1) When the responsible does not exist2) When entrusted by the small and

medium-sized businesses

Monitor the status of enforcement

Assure reliable transport

by the manifest(recycling ticket)

system

Designated Locations for Collection (Designation done by manufacturers etc.) Issue and Return the manifests

Mu

nicip

alitiesetc.

Mu

nicip

alities etc.Disposers

Designated Locations for Collection 359 placesRecycling Facilities 46 places(As of June 2015)

*Excluding portable TVs,

Car TV units and TVs for bathrooms

(Revised on April 1, 2015)

Obligation to collectItems manufactured or imported by themselves in the past and subject to the Act.

Obligation to recycle etc. Incl. recycle or destruction of fluorocarbons

5

2-4. Overview of Legislation for Fluorocarbons

Act on Rational Use and Proper Management of Fluorocarbons

6

Amendment of Act on Rational Use and Proper Management of Fluorocarbons

2-5. Overview of Legislation for Fluorocarbons

• To improve fluorocarbons recovery rate at the time of disposal (nearly 40% in 2019),regulations based on Act on Rational use and Proper Management of Fluorocarbons werestrengthened in 2019.

• Stakeholders (users, demolition operators and scrap and/or recycle operators) oweadditional obligations as following.

• According to this strengthened regulations, Japan set the target of Fluorocarbons recoveryrate as more than 70% in 2030.

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3. Initiative on Fluorocarbons Life Cycle Management

ProductionCollection

Recycle/Destruction

Use as refrigerant

• Minister of the Environment, Koizumi Shinjirodeclared to launch the Initiative onFluorocarbons Life Cycle Management atUNFCCC COP25 in Madrid, Spain (Dec ‘19)

• Objective of the Initiative:Facilitate concrete actions, innovations andcollaborations among governments, privatesectors, and international organizations for ourmutual benefits and support to strengthen thelife-cycle management of fluorocarbons, whilecollaborating with existing activities andframeworks.

• CCAC’s online event, “Efficient Cooling Duringand After the Global Pandemic” (July ‘20)

• 1st Meeting of Initiative Partners of PrivateSector Entities/NGOs (Sep ‘20)

13 State/Int’l Organization PartnersChile, France, Japan, Maldives, Mongolia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam, The World Bank, CCAC, ADB, and UNIDO (as of Sep ‘20)

Visit here for more information on the Initiative!

http://www.env.go.jp/en/earth/ozone/fluorocarbon_initiative/index.html

Thank you for your attention!