China Issues Recommended List of Alternatives for Ozone-Depleting Substances, Accelerating the Phase-out of HCFCs
On June 12, 2023, China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) and Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) jointly issued Recommended List of Alternatives for Ozone-Depleting Substances in China. The nation is currently working to phase out the last category of ozone-depleting substances (ODS), namely hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), according to insiders. China has already achieved the targets of freezing HCFCs in 2013, reducing them by 10% in 2015, and reducing them by 35% in 2020. Now, efforts are being accelerated to achieve the target of a 67.5% reduction by 2025.
In the field of polyurethane foam applications, substances such as carbon dioxide, cyclopentane, n-pentane, isopentane, water, and carbonate organic amine salts are recommended as alternatives for HCFCs, including HCFC-141b, HCFC-22, and HCFC-142b, according to the Recommended List.
It is imperative for China’s rigid polyurethane foam industry to accelerate the phase-out of HCFC-141b blowing agents.
China’s HCFC-141b Blowing Agent Phase-out Schedule
Phase 1 of Phase-out Schedule:
Since 2011, China has implemented the Phase-1 HCFC Phase-out Schedule for Polyurethane (PU) Foam Industry, actively undertaking the elimination and phaseout of HCFCs (HCFC-141b) within the industry. Priority was given to larger-scale and exemplary rigid foam manufacturers with strong technological, financial, and management capabilities. A total of 57 HCFC-141b phaseout contracts were signed, involving several sub-industries such as refrigerators, freezers, reefer containers, electric water heaters, pipe insulation, panels, and solar water heaters. The main alternatives were hydrocarbon (cyclopentane) and water, resulting in a total phaseout of 12,969 tonnes of HCFC-141b. Meanwhile, capacity-building projects for cyclopentane or water pre-blended polyols were undertaken with eight local manufacturers to increase the supply of cyclopentane or water pre-blended polyols through subsidies.
Refrigerators and freezers are the largest downstream industry (in terms of rigid foam consumption) in China. In 2018, the refrigerator and freezer, water heater, and reefer container industries had already achieved substantial phaseout of HCFC-141b.
Phase 1 of Phase-out Schedule:
In 2017, China launched the second phase of HCFC phase-out work in the PU foam industry. In the early phaseout activities of the second phase, the interim target of a 30% reduction by 2018 was achieved as scheduled. In 2019, contracts for HCFC-141b phaseout were signed with 11 manufacturers. In addition to the alternatives used in the first phase, hydrofluoroolefin (HFO) and other eco-friendly alternatives were increased. This phaseout involved industries such as panels, pipe insulation, solar water heaters, and integral skin foam.
On December 12, 2022, MEE unveiled a draft notice seeking public opinions on the prohibition of producing insulation pipes and solar water heaters using 1,1-dichloro-1-fluoroethane (HCFC-141b) as a blowing agent. The notice states that from July 1, 2023, no manufacturer shall use HCFC-141b as a blowing agent to produce insulation pipes and solar water heaters.
