In order to implement the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer and the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (hereinafter referred to as the Protocol), the Ministry of Ecology and Environment recently issued the ban on the production of monofluorodichloroethane (HCFC-141b) as a blowing agent. Announcement of Refrigerator Freezer Products, Refrigerated Container Products, and Electric Water Heater Products (hereinafter referred to as the "Announcement").

Since the implementation of the HCFCs phase-out plan for polyurethane foam industry in China in 2011, 30 renovation projects using low-carbon environmentally friendly alternative technologies such as hydrocarbons have been carried out in the refrigerator freezer, reefer container and electric water heater industries. Through policy management, publicity training and industry initiatives, the company will guide enterprises to carry out substitution conversion, promote the adjustment and optimization of China's relevant industrial structure, transformation and upgrading, guide the industry to develop towards greener and lower carbon technologies, and improve the international competitiveness of related products. .

At present, the alternative transformation projects of the three industries have been completed, and the enterprises in the industry have also mastered the corresponding alternative technologies. In order to fulfill the objectives of the Protocol, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment has formulated and issued the "Announcement" in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Regulations on the Management of Ozone Layers and in accordance with the requirements of the HCFCs phase-out plan for China's polyurethane foam industry.

The "Announcement" clarifies that from January 1, 2019, no enterprise may use fluorodichloroethane (HCFC-141b) as a blowing agent to produce refrigerator freezer products, reefer container products, and electric water heater products.

The "Announcement" states that the refrigerator freezer products applicable to the announcement refer to household refrigerators (household refrigerators, household refrigerators, household refrigerators) as defined in the "Household and similar refrigeration appliances" (GB/T8059) standards. Refrigerated display cabinet products such as refrigerators and products as specified in the "Refrigerated Refrigeration Display Cabinet" (GB/T 21001.1) standard. The refrigerated container products to be applied refer to the refrigerated containers and insulated containers specified in ISO1496-1. The applicable electric water heater product refers to the storage type electric water heater specified in the "Water Storage Type Electric Water Heater" (GB/T 20289-2006) standard.

The Announcement emphasizes that the scope of application of the announced products is subject to the same content as covered by the current latest standards.

The "Announcement" requires that all relevant departments should actively urge enterprises to conscientiously implement the announcement requirements and effectively eliminate the HCFC-141b. Enterprises that use fluorodichloroethane (HCFC-141b) in violation of the above provisions shall be punished by the local ecological environment authorities in conjunction with relevant departments. The "Announcement" has been implemented since January 1, 2019.

The Ministry of Ecology and Environment has recently issued the "Notice on the Prohibition of the Production of Refrigerator Freezer Products, Refrigerated Container Products, and Electric Water Heater Products Using Fluorinated Difluoroethane (HCFC-141b) as a Blowing Agent" (hereinafter referred to as the "Announcement"). Hu Jianxin, a professor at Peking University, and Jiang Feng, chairman of the China Household Electrical Appliances Association, answered questions from reporters on relevant issues.

Question: What is the background of the "Announcement"?

Hu Jianxin (Professor, Peking University) : According to the compliance requirements of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (hereinafter referred to as the Protocol), there are six types of controlled-use ozone-depleting substances (ODS) that need to be phased out in China. The phase-out of the remaining Category 1 ODS substances-HCFCs, including their production and consumption, is being phased out in the phase-out of CFCs, halons, carbon tetrachloride, methyl chloroform and methyl bromide. The elimination. The elimination of HCFCs consumption is carried out by industry, mainly including polyurethane (PU) foam, extruded polystyrene foam, room air conditioners and heat pump water heaters, industrial refrigeration and air conditioning, cleaning, refrigeration and air conditioning maintenance. Among them, the PU foam industry phased out HCFC-141b (one of the HCFCs) as a blowing agent in two stages, according to the PU foam industry phase-out management plan agreement reached by the UNEP Multilateral Fund and China. After the phase-out work, the use of HCFC-141b as a foaming agent should be completely banned in the refrigerator freezer, reefer container and electric water heater industry.

Since 2011, based on the average consumption data from 2009 to 2010, China has carried out a large number of elimination and replacement technology reforms in the refrigerator freezer, reefer container and electric water heater industry, and eliminated all consumption standards of HCFC-141b in this field. More than 7,400 tons, completed the first phase of the PU foam industry elimination task. According to the above-mentioned industry progress, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment has formulated and issued the "Announcement" in accordance with the Regulations on the Management of Ozone Depleting Substances.

Question: What is the significance of the "Announcement" issued for China's protection of the ozone layer?

Hu Jianxin : The promulgation of the "Announcement" will announce that there are three other PU foam sub-sectors in China that have completely completed the elimination of ODS substances, making substantial contributions to the protection of the ozone layer, and more importantly, providing a legal basis for strengthening ODS supervision and management, which is conducive to China has better fulfilled its international obligations under the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer and the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer and has established the image of a responsible big country. If the enterprise illegally uses HCFC-141b as a foaming agent to produce refrigerator freezer products, refrigerated container products and electric water heater products after the entry into force of the "Announcement", it will be ordered to stop the illegal acts according to the relevant provisions of the ODS Management Regulations, forfeited. The illegal use of HCFC-141b, the illegal use of HCFC-141b products and illegal proceeds, the removal and destruction of equipment and facilities for the illegal use of HCFC-141b, and penalties. At the same time, the "Announcement" will also effectively promote the adjustment and optimization of China's relevant industrial structure and improve the international competitiveness of related products.

Q: Which industries are produced in the "Announcement"?

Jiang Feng (Director of China Household Electrical Appliances Association) : The “Announcement” issued by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment is applicable to products produced in the refrigerator freezer, reefer container and electric water heater industry. Among them, refrigerator freezer products refer to household refrigerators, freezers and other products as specified in the "Household and similar refrigeration appliances" standards and the refrigerated display cabinet products specified in the "Refrigerated Display Cabinet" standard; reefer container products refer to ISO1496-1 The products such as refrigerated containers and insulated containers specified in the regulations; electric water heater products refer to the storage-type electric water heaters specified in the "Water Storage Type Electric Water Heaters" standard. After the publication of the "Announcement", it will be implemented from January 1, 2019. From the date of implementation of the "Announcement", no enterprise may use HCFC-141b as a foaming agent to produce the above-mentioned refrigerator freezer products, reefer container products and electric water heaters. product. 

Q: What impact does the implementation of the Announcement have on related industries?

Jiang Feng : The "Announcement" mainly covers three industries: refrigerator freezer, reefer container and electric water heater. The overall situation of the domestic refrigerator freezer industry has been relatively stable in recent years. In 2017, the output of domestic refrigerators in China was about 73.30 million units, and the output of household refrigerators was about 22 million units. With the rapid development of the refrigeration industry, China's commercial refrigerators are also showing a good development trend. For the reefer container industry, China is currently the world's largest manufacturer and exporter of reefer containers, and the concentration of industry enterprises is very high. The electric water heater industry is currently steadily rising, with an average annual growth rate of about 15%. In 2017, the total output of electric water heaters in China was about 35 million units, and the storage water heaters were about 32.55 million units.

In the process of phase-out of ODS, China has implemented a large number of alternative retrofit projects in the above three industries to promote enterprises to select and use environmentally friendly low-carbon alternative technologies such as hydrocarbons, and through policy management, publicity and training, and industry initiatives. Guide enterprises to carry out alternative conversions to achieve the elimination of ODS. In November 2017, China Household Electrical Appliances Association initiated the initiative of “Fracturing HCFC-141b to phase out the green water heater industry” and received positive response from related companies. Major enterprises in the industry promised to thoroughly complete before the end of March 2018. Stop using HCFC-141b and complete the replacement work.

At present, the three industries have mastered the corresponding alternative technologies, and fully possess the technical ability to use HCFC-141b as a foaming agent. After the announcement of the "Announcement", it will not adversely affect the social economy and existing employment personnel. Instead, it will further promote the comprehensive switchover of industrial enterprises to complete the alternative production capacity, and guide the industry to sustainable development in the direction of lower carbon and environmental protection technology. To enhance the international competitiveness of green products.