FIFE COUNCIL
Environment &
Development
Committee
18 February 2002
Agenda Item No
ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES
EC REGULATION NO 2037/2000 – OZONE DEPLETING SUBSTANCES
STORAGE OF WASTE REFRIGERATION EQUIPMENT
1.0
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this report is to advise Members of the Environment
and Development Committee of the introduction of an EC Directive on
1 January 2002 which requires Fife Council to store all end-of-use
fridges and freezers until suitable arrangements can be made for their
proper disposal.
2.0
BACKGROUND
2.1
For a number of years fridges and freezers delivered to Fife Council’s
waste disposal facilities have been de-gassed and the
chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) disposed of through arrangements with the
chemical industry.
2.2
On 1 January 2002 a directive controlling the emission of ozone
depleting substances came into effect. This directive states that end-oflife refrigerators must have CFC refrigerants and the gas from foam
used as insulation removed before final disposal. Currently there are
no facilities available in Scotland, or indeed the UK, to deal with such
insulation foam removal. Until facilities are available refrigerators will
require to be stockpiled in secure locations.
2.3
Refrigerators come in a large range of types most often easily
classified by the label on the compressor. Of those that are labelled
the R12 (the industry name for the refrigerant Dichlorofluoromethane)
is a particularly common type. These are likely to have
trichlorofluoromethane filled foam in their cavities as insulation.
However, a significant proportion of units from before the early 1990’s
are unlabelled and are also likely to be the R12 type. Since 1996 R12
refrigeration units and been replaced by R22 and R134A refrigerants,
these are not ozone depleting. Unfortunately the gases used in the
insulating foam have not been subject to such a rigorous regulation.
2.4
A further problem has been identified in relation to the characteristics of
CFC and replacement chemicals being used in refrigeration units.
Many have significant global warming potential. Over 100 years R12
has a global warming potential 8,500 times that of CO2 for the same
weight. The replacement refrigerants also have a high global warming
potential. For example R22, with a global warming potential of 1,700
times that for CO2, is seen as a transitional solution but will be banned
from 2020. R134A is seen as a long term replacement for R12 but has
similar global warming potential to R22. Greenpeace cites the ECO
Labelling Regulation committee of the European commission as
wanting to rule out both R134A and R22 from being used in the future.
3.0
CURRENT SITUATION
3.1
On the 6 December 2001 the Scottish Executive issued guidance to
local authorities on the storage of waste refrigeration equipment.
Compliance with this guidance requires Fife Council to separately
collect and store in secure and licensed sites all end-of-use
refrigeration units. Staff from Environmental Services are currently
negotiating with representatives from the Scottish Environment
Protection Agency (SEPA) over the use of existing landfill sites and
transfer stations for this purpose. Due to the restrictions on external
storage it may be necessary to consider the short term lease of an
industrial unit for this purpose, the Head of Economic Development has
been advised of this possibility.
4.0
RESOURCE IMPLICATIONS
4.1
The Scottish Executive has estimated that Fife Council will be required
to dispose of approximately 16,000 refrigeration units per annum.
Since 1 January there has been a noticeable increase in the number of
domestic fridges and freezers being uplifted as a special collection
since electrical retailers have withdrawn their “ take back” schemes.
4.2
It is estimated that the additional cost of separately collecting and
storing each refrigeration unit will be in the order of £10 per unit. This
has been identified as a spending pressure within the 2002/03 budget
submission, however, additional costs are already being incurred by
Environmental Services.
4.3
The future cost of processing these units has been estimated at
approximately £30 per unit. In addition to this there will be costs in
transporting these units from storage facilities in Fife to the nearest
treatment facility.
4.3
At the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) Waste
Management Forum on 27 September 2001, Waste Managers were
advised that the Scottish Executive was considering the cost
implications to Local Authorities.
4.4
In England and Wales, local authorities have received £6 million of
additional funding this year to offset their costs from 1 January to 31
March 2002.
5.0
CONCLUSIONS
5.1
Fife Council will be required to separately uplift and store upwards of
16,000 refrigeration units per annum.
5.2
The additional cost of collecting and storing these units has been
estimated at £10 per unit.
5.3
When suitably licensed disposal facilities are available it is anticipated
that Fife Council will have to pay approximately £30 per unit for final
disposal (excluding transport costs).
6.0
RECOMMENDATIONS
6.1
It is recommended that the Committee agree to:a) The Head of Environmental Services making such arrangements as
necessary to ensure compliance with EC Regulation No 2037/2000
in respect of the storage and final disposal of refrigeration units.
b) The Head of Financial Services & Asset Management makes
representations regarding the level of funding available to the
Council to meet its obligations in respect of EC Regulation No
2037/2000.
Fraser Thomson
Head of Environmental Services
Hanover Court
Glenrothes
21 January 2002