Used Refrigerants to Be Collected and Reused... Pilot Project for Full-Cycle Refrigerant Management Launched

The government has announced plans to establish a "refrigerant full-cycle management system" that collects and regenerates used refrigerants from air conditioners and refrigeration equipment for reuse. The goal is to introduce a management system that covers refrigerants from use to disposal, aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment and the Korea Environment Corporation announced on May 11 that they will hold a launch briefing for the "Pilot Project for Establishing a Full-Cycle Refrigerant Management System" on May 12 at the Gongyuwa Gonggam conference room in Yongsan-gu, Seoul.

The core of this project is to apply a circulation system on-site in which used refrigerants are collected from refrigerant-using equipment and products, then regenerated and reused. Owners of refrigerant-using equipment and products, refrigerant manufacturers and importers, as well as refrigerant collection and processing companies, will participate in the initiative.

Refrigerant

Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), mainly used as refrigerants, were developed as alternatives to chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), which are ozone-depleting substances. However, HFCs have a global warming potential (GWP) of up to 12,400, making them a representative fluorinated greenhouse gas. The international community agreed to gradually reduce HFCs through the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol in 2016.

Under the current Atmospheric Environment Conservation Act, refrigerant recovery is only mandatory for large refrigeration and air conditioning equipment with a capacity of 20 refrigeration tons (RT) or more. However, there have been many instances where used refrigerants from small devices or those outside the scope of regulation have been released directly into the atmosphere.

Accordingly, this pilot project will include participation from Chungcheongnam-do Province and Seoul Metro, who plan to actively recover used refrigerants from equipment and products not subject to mandatory legal management.

The government will also address the management of residual refrigerants left in storage and transportation containers. Refrigerant manufacturers and importers will be required to collect used containers and recover the remaining refrigerants. The collected used refrigerants will undergo moisture and contaminant removal processes and be recycled as regenerated refrigerant at near-new quality levels.

The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment plans to use the results of this pilot project to pursue the enactment of a so-called "Refrigerant Management Act," which would comprehensively cover the use, collection, regeneration, and disposal of refrigerants.

Kim Jinsik, Director-General of the Air Environment Bureau at the Ministry, stated, "Once hydrofluorocarbon refrigerants are charged, they can leak over a period of more than 15 years, so thorough management is essential. We will work to ensure that any new system introduced in the future can be stably established in the field."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.