Residential Refrigeration Program
This page last reviewed November 16, 2010
As
part of the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (AB 32) the
ARB has
approved an early action measure to reduce high-global warming
potential (GWP) greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (refrigerants and
insulating foam blowing agents) from domestic refrigerators, freezers,
and air conditioners at end-of-life. This web page is to provide
information as the
process proceeds in developing the measure to implement this early
action.
Over one million domestic refrigerators, freezers, and air conditioners
(A/Cs) are disposed of in California each year. Pre-1996
appliances contain chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) refrigerants and blowing
agents, pre-2002
appliances contain hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants and
hydrochlorofluorcarbon (HCFC) blowing agents, and post-2003 appliances
contain
HFC refrigerants and blowing agents. CFCs, HCFCs, and HFCs are
all high-GWP GHGs. Older refrigerators, freezers, and A/Cs are much
less energy efficient than
new, EnergyStar appliances, and replacement of pre-2000 appliances may
have
significant indirect GHG emissions benefits.
Strategy Description: The proposed program could include establishing
a voluntary program to encourage the upgrade of pre-2000
residential refrigeration equipment in need of repair, such as refrigerators and freezers to
Energy Star efficiences or better. The program could
potentially be expanded to include window unit air conditioners (A/Cs). A related strategy, the
foam recovery and destruction program, is an effort to recover and
destroy high-GWP GHGs from insulating foams.
If all waste refrigerant, foam, and other materials are properly
recycled/destroyed, direct GHG emissions avoidance benefits may be
significant, as well as indirect GHG emissions avoidance due to energy efficiency
gains.
What's New
For additional information please contact:
- Glenn Gallagher staff lead (916) 327-8041
- Pamela Gupta Greenhouse Gas Reduction Strategy Section Manager (916) 327-0604
