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New controls on ozone depleting substances require the disposal of waste fridges
and refrigeration equipment in an environmentally sound manner.
For further information on how to dispose of fridges and freezers see below.
Background
European Council Regulation No. 2037/2000 on substances that deplete the ozone layer,
which came into effect in October 2001, requires Member States to remove ozone depleting
substances (ODS) (including CFCs and HCFCs) from refrigeration equipment before
such appliances are scrapped. This requirement came into force immediately for industrial
and commercial appliances and applied to domestic appliances from 1 January 2002.
What fridges and freezers are covered by the Regulation?
Council Regulation No 2037/2000 on Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS), covers fridges and freezers which contain CFCs and/or HCFCs either in the refrigerant of the cooling system or as a blowing agent in the insulating foam.
Many manufacturers stopped using CFCs as refrigerant in the mid-1990's but HCFCs continued to be used as a blowing agent for the insulating foam for several years after. For this reason the majority of refrigerators currently entering the waste stream will require treatment.
How many fridges are disposed of or recycled every year?
It is estimated that up to 3 million domestic refrigeration (fridges, fridge-freezers and freezers) units are disposed of in the UK each year. Although there is less data available, it is believed that around a further half million commercial units are also replaced annually.
What part of the fridge contains ODS?
Refrigerants may be found in the circulating coolant system of a fridge. In addition they may have been used as a blowing agent for the polyurethane foam used to insulate the unit.
What requirements are there to remove ODS from refrigeration equipment?
Controlled substances should be recovered for destruction, or for recycling or reclamation during the servicing and maintenance of equipment, or before the dismantling or final disposal of equipment.
For fridges and freezers this applies to any controlled ODS used as the refrigerant and/or the blowing agent (in the insulation foam). As the insulation foam is integral to units specialised facilities to extract ODS from the foam are necessary.
How can I tell if a fridge/freezer contains ozone depleting substances?
The age of the appliance is in general an important determinant:
prior to 1994 almost all appliances used CFCs as both refrigerant
(CFC R12) and as foam blowing agent (CFC R11);
after 1994 these were mainly replaced with HFC as refrigerant (R134a)and HCFC foam blowing agent (R141b or R142b/R22);
modern fridges are generally manufactured using HFC (R134a)
or hydrocarbon (HC600a) refrigerants and hydrocarbon blowing agents.
Most fridges are also marked with an 'appliance rating plate' - a metal plate or sticky label which is found on the back of the appliance. The plate contains information about the appliance, for example model and serial number. In most cases it will also state what refrigerant was used in the appliance. Fridges that are marked with R12 or R134a on the plate will most probably have CFC or HCFC in the insulation foam and should be treated accordingly, unless there is evidence to suggest otherwise.
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