Effective realization of abatement measures can reduce HFC-23 emissions

Dominique Rust, Martin K. Vollmer (), Stephan Henne, Arnoud Frumau, Pim Bulk, Arjan Hensen, Kieran M. Stanley, Renato Zenobi, Lukas Emmenegger and Stefan Reimann
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Dominique Rust: Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology
Martin K. Vollmer: Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology
Stephan Henne: Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology
Arnoud Frumau: Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research
Pim Bulk: Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research
Arjan Hensen: Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research
Kieran M. Stanley: University of Bristol
Renato Zenobi: Swiss Federal Institute of Technology
Lukas Emmenegger: Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology
Stefan Reimann: Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology

Nature, 2024, vol. 633, issue 8028, 96-100

Abstract: Abstract HFC-23 is a potent greenhouse gas, predominantly emitted as an undesired by-product during the synthesis and processing of HCFC-22 (ref. 1). Previously, the Clean Development Mechanism and national efforts called for the implementation of abatement technology for reducing HFC-23 emissions2,3. Nevertheless, between 2015 and 2019, a divergence was found between the global emissions derived from atmospheric observations and those expected from reported abatement1,2. Primarily, this points to insufficient implementation of abatement strategies2,4, calling for independent verification of the emissions at the individual chemical facility level. Here we use regional atmospheric observations and a new, deliberately released tracer to quantify the HFC-23 emissions from an HCFC-22 and fluoropolymer production facility, which is equipped with waste gas destruction technology. We find that our inferred HFC-23/HCFC-22 emission factor of 0.19% (0.13–0.24%) broadly fits within the emission factor considered practicable for abatement projects5,6. Extrapolation to global HCFC-22 production underscores that the operation of appropriate destruction technology has the potential to reduce global HFC-23 emissions by at least 84% (69–100%) (14 (12–16) Gg yr−1). This reduction is equivalent to 17% CO2 emissions from aviation in 2019 (ref. 7). We also demonstrate co-destruction of PFC-318, another by-product and greenhouse gas. Our findings show the importance of the 2016 Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, which obligates parties to destroy HFC-23 emissions from facilities manufacturing hydrochlorofluorocarbons and hydrofluorocarbons “to the extent practicable” from 2020 onwards8.

Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07833-y

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