Assessment of Safe Disposal Options for High-Global Warming Potential Gases

This page updated April 27, 2011

ARB Research Seminars

Wednesday, May 11, 2011
1:30 pm - 3:30 pm, PDT
Sierra Hearing Room, Second Floor
1001 I Street, Sacramento

This event is being Webcast, click here to view
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Presentation is available at this link

Assessment of Safe Disposal Options for
High-Global Warming Potential Gases

Pamela Mathis and Julia Forgie

ICF International, San Francisco

High-global warming potential (GWP) gases account for an estimated 3% of California’s total greenhouse gas emissions, but are projected to rise to nearly 8% by 2020. Such gases include ozone-depleting substances (ODS) (e.g., CFCs, HCFCs, halons)—as well as ODS substitutes, primarily HFCs—which are used in a wide variety of products and equipment, including refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment, building insulation, fire protection equipment, and more. Using a lifecycle approach, this study assesses various end-of-life (EOL) management options for reducing GHG emissions at time of equipment or product disposal.  In particular, management options for reducing GHG emissions from the following sources at EOL are reviewed: (1) household refrigerators/freezers; (2) other stationary refrigeration and air-conditioning (AC) equipment; (3) disposable refrigerant cylinders used in the refrigeration/AC servicing sector; (4) foam insulation contained in the walls, roofs, and floors of demolished buildings; and (5) fire extinguishing systems and other stockpiled chemicals. For each alternative management scenario, the costs, GHG emission reduction potential, and cost effectiveness (measured in dollars per ton of metric ton of carbon dioxide-equivalent emissions reduced) is estimated.

Pamela Mathis, is a Senior Manager at ICF International, where she supports projects related to stratospheric ozone protection and global climate change with a focus on high-global warming potential (GWP) gases. She has over 10 years of consulting experience related to regulatory and policy analysis for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the European Commission, the California Air Resources Board, the California Energy Commission, as well as multilateral agencies. This work has included the development of emissions inventories, cost/benefit analyses, marginal abatement cost curves, and lifecycle analyses. She has also developed guidance on how best to establish appropriate management systems for the treatment of unwanted ODS in developing countries for the Secretariat of the Multilateral Fund for the Implementation of the Montreal Protocol, and has supported the U.S. EPA’s voluntary Responsible Appliance Disposal (RAD) Program since its inception.

Julia Forgie, is an Associate at ICF International, where she supports studies related to stratospheric ozone protection and global climate change with a focus on high-global warming potential (GWP) gases. In particular, she has provided regulatory and program support and conducted policy analyses for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the California Air Resources Board, the California Energy Commission, and the European Commissions. Her work has included support for the development of emissions inventories and life cycle analyses for ARB, the implementation and management of the U.S. EPA’s Responsible Appliance Disposal (RAD) voluntary program, and verification of the City of San Francisco’s GHG emissions inventory.

For information on this seminar please contact:
Glenn Gallagher at (916) 327-8041 or send email to : ggallagh@arb.ca.gov

For information on this Series please contact:
Peter Mathews at (916) 323-8711 or send email to: pmathews@arb.ca.gov

For a complete listing of the ARB Research Seminars and the related documentation for
each one of the series please check this page

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