EFCTC joins the Parties to celebrate 30 years of the Montreal Protocol

Thirty years ago governments met in Montreal and reached agreement on the Montreal Protocol, the world’s most successful environmental treaty. At that time, the focus was on protecting the ozone layer but this treaty has also been proven to have been a significant step in the fight against climate change.

A year ago nations reached agreement on the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol to phase-down HFCs and to take a further step in combating climate change. EFCTC would like to commend those Parties that have already ratified the Kigali Amendment and look forward to its entry into force in the near future.

EFCTC and its member companies, along with industries worldwide, strongly support the Montreal Protocol and the Kigali Amendment and have invested in the development and introduction of safe, cost-effective and efficient alternative products and equipment to enable the phase-out of CFCs and HCFCs and begin the phase-down of HFCs.

We are delighted to work with the Montreal Protocol Technology and Economic Assessment Panels and their Technical Options Committees that have been so effective in providing high-quality advice to aid the Parties in taking their decisions. This process is continuing with the introduction of 4th generation refrigerants and foam blowing agents and we have seen major progress in the energy efficiency of refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment.

“The success of the Montreal Protocol and the future success of the Kigali Amendment are built upon strong government and industry partnerships,” said Nick Campbell, Chairman of EFCTC. “The challenge before us is to work together in developing and introducing a new range of alternatives with lower GWPs to replace the currently used HFCs in the same critical applications such as refrigeration, heat pumps, air-conditioning, foam insulation and medical inhalers. We are well on the way in some of these applications but must not lose sight of the need to maintain safety and efficiency standards in meeting our goals. EFCTC stands with the Parties to the Montreal Protocol as it has done over the past 30 years in pushing the boundaries to a future with safe, energy efficient, cost-effective and environmentally-sound solutions.”

The European FluoroCarbons Technical Committee is a Cefic Sector Group that monitors legislation related to HFCs (hydrofluorocarbons), PFCs (perfluorinated carbons) and SF₆ (sulphur hexafluoride), CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons), HCFCs (hydrochlorofluorocarbons) and HFOs (hydrofluoro-olefins) in the EU and at global level.

Fluorocarbons are used as feedstock, as refrigerants, as solvents and as blowing agents for insulation plastic foams.
Contact:

EFCTC Chairman: Mr. N. Campbell, nick.campbell@arkema.com
EFCTC Secretariat: Dr. S. Gallet, sga@cefic.be.