1 copyright 2007 © ral quality assurance association for the demanufacture of refrigeration...

1Copyright 2007 © RAL Quality Assurance Association for the Demanufacture of Refrigeration Equipment

Fridge recycling: Can it be done without endangering the environment?

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1.1. Who or what is RAL?Who or what is RAL?2. The RAL quality mark for fridge recycling3.3. The environmental relevance of waste The environmental relevance of waste

refrigeration equipmentrefrigeration equipment4.4. Life cycle assessment study by the independent Life cycle assessment study by the independent

Öko-Institut: Evaluation of the environmental Öko-Institut: Evaluation of the environmental impact of the various fridge processing optionsimpact of the various fridge processing options

5.5. Implications for the fridge recycling sectorImplications for the fridge recycling sector

Copyright 2007 © RAL Quality Assurance Association for the Demanufacture of Refrigeration Equipment

Fridge recycling: Can it be done without endangering the environment?

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The RAL Institute – The RAL Institute – Independent and Independent and objectiveobjective

The RAL Institute is an expert body with the authority to create quality assurance marks. A RAL quality mark verifies that a product or service is manufactured or marketed in accordance with stringent quality assurance specifications. The RAL quality assurance associations are organizations recognized by the RAL Institute that conduct and monitor compliance with their quality assurance specifications for a specific product or service.

There are currently over 160 different RAL quality marks covering thousands of products and services. The quality marks are awarded by over 130 RAL quality assurance associations who represent around ten thousand member companies from all areas of the economy both in Germany and abroad.

www.ral.deCopyright 2007 © RAL Quality Assurance Association for the Demanufacture of Refrigeration Equipment

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There are more than 160 RAL quality marks …

Wallpaper

Foodstuffs

Road traffic signs

Compost

Sewer construction work

Pure new wool


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RAL Colours

RAL/UBA The Blue

Angel

Other areas in which RAL Other areas in which RAL is active:is active:


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The RAL quality mark for fridge recyclingwas established in 1998

State of the art fridge recycling

www.ral-online.org


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Why is every gram of CFC recovered so

important?


Environmental relevance of fridge recyclingEnvironmental relevance of fridge recycling

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CFCs and the Earth’s climate (1)

CFCs are still the no. 1 ozone killer

Ozone layer hole ‘bigger than North America’

THE hole in the ozone layer above Antarctica has grown to the biggest recorded size – larger than the North American continent – say NASA scientists, who yesterday released dramatic images documenting its changes. The hole is a region where there is severe depletion of the layer of ozone – a form of oxygen – in the upper atmosphere that protects life by blocking ultraviolet rays from the sun. Scientists say made-man gases such as bromine and chlorine cause the hole by damaging the layer. […]

Alex Massie in Washington (Article in The SCOTSMAN, 21 October 2006)Copyright 2007 © RAL Quality Assurance Association for the Demanufacture of Refrigeration Equipment

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CFCs are still the no. 1 ozone killer

Climate protection will fail without the systematic reduction in CFC levels in the atmosphere


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Huge influence on the greenhouse effect

CFC R12: 10,720 kg CO2-equivalentsCFC R11: 4,680 kg CO2-equivalents

1 fridge = approx. 2800 kg CO1 fridge = approx. 2800 kg CO22 !!


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Current situation in the EU:In the EU around 18 million waste fridges and freezers and returned to the manufacturing companies or to consortia of manufacturers for treatment every year.

80 % of these waste appliances (i.e. 14.4 million units) containing CFCs

14.4 million fridges = 40.3 million 14.4 million fridges = 40.3 million tonnes of COtonnes of CO22


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CFCs still to be recovered from refrigeration equipment in the EU:

We estimate that there are still about 200 millionWe estimate that there are still about 200 million fridges fridges containing CFCs currently in use in the EUcontaining CFCs currently in use in the EU

200 million fridges = 560 million 200 million fridges = 560 million tonnes of COtonnes of CO22


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200 million fridges = 560 million 200 million fridges = 560 million tonnes of COtonnes of CO22

Traffic in Germany = 160 million Traffic in Germany = 160 million tonnes of COtonnes of CO22 per year !!! per year !!!


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• The no. 1 ozone killer

• Massive contributor to the greenhouse effect

The numbers The numbers demonstrate just demonstrate just how important it is how important it is to recover to recover every every gram of CFCgram of CFC when when recycling waste recycling waste refrigeration refrigeration equipment.equipment.


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Evaluating the different options for Evaluating the different options for processing CFC-containing and hydrocarbon-processing CFC-containing and hydrocarbon-containing fridges and freezerscontaining fridges and freezers


What is the best What is the best way ????way ????

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Variant 1Variant 1 Joint processing

Local waste collection centres

or manufacturers’ take-back schemes

Variant 2Variant 2 Parallel processing

Variant 3Variant 3Only CFC appliances treated

Variant 4Variant 4 HC appliances in

auto shredderCopyright 2007 © RAL Quality Assurance Association for the Demanufacture of Refrigeration Equipment

HCs HCs released released into the into the environmenenvironment!!t!!

Recovery and Recovery and safe safe destruction of destruction of CFCs + HCsCFCs + HCs

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Legal situationLegal situation

The WEEE directive is absolutely clear on this point:

Annex 2: Removal of CFC Annex 2: Removal of CFC andand HC HC (hydrocarbons) (hydrocarbons) and subsequent and subsequent disposal or recoverydisposal or recovery

• Statement issued by EU Commissioner DimasStatement issued by EU Commissioner Dimas• Expert legal opinion of the law firm Prof. Expert legal opinion of the law firm Prof.

VersteylVersteyl• Most EU member states have adopted the Most EU member states have adopted the

formulation specified in the WEEE directiveformulation specified in the WEEE directiveVariant 1 is the only means of Variant 1 is the only means of processing that meets these processing that meets these legal requirementslegal requirements

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Life cycle assessment of the treatment and recycling of refrigeration equipment containing

CFCs and hydrocarbons

Doris SchülerGünter DehoustIna Rüdenauer

on behalf of

RAL Quality Assurance Association for the Demanufacture of Refrigeration Equipment

March 2007

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Objective

• Joint processing of waste appliances containing CFCs and those containing HCs in a single recycling plant to a high environmental standard (variant 1)

• Parallel processing of CFC-containing appliances to a high environmental standard (variant 2)

• Step 2 processing of HC-appliances in an auto shredder (variant 3)

• HC-containing appliances treated entirely in an auto shredder (variant 4)

Fraction of HC-appliances: 20% (sensitivity: 50%)

Comparison of the environmental impact of the different disposal channels for waste domestic refrigeration appliances containing CFCs and hydrocarbons:

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LKW-Transport 100 km

Kühlgeräte-Recycler:

Stufe 1 + 2 im

Mischbetrieb

Kühlgeräte

Glas in Glasschmelze

Öle in thermische Verwertung

Polystyrol zum stofflichenRecycling

Metalle zum Metallrecycling

Kunststoffe zur energetischen Verwertung und zur MVA

Isobutan in HTV Cyclopentan in HTV

FCKW in HTV

PUR als Aufsaugmaterial

Schema Mischbetrieb

(Variante 1)

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Schema Parallelbetrieb



Stufe 1 + 2 im

Parallelbetriebin 2 getrennten

Anlagen

Fehlsortierung 1%

Kühlgeräte



Polystyrol in stoffl. Verwertung bzw. Zementwerk Metalle zum Metallrecycling


Isobutan in Fackel. Freisetzung von Cyclo-pentan und FCKW aus fehlsortierten K.

FCKW in HTV und HTS

PUR als Aufsaugmaterial bzw. MVA

(Variante 2)

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Schema: VOC-Geräte Stufe 2 im Shredder



Stufe 1 + 2 im

Mischbetrieb

Fehlsortierung 1%

Kühlgeräte



Polystyrol zum stofflichen Recycling


Isobutan in HTV

FCKW in HTV


Shredder

Stufe 2 für KW-Geräte

SLF zur MVA

Freisetzung von Cyclopentan und FCKW aus fehlsortierten K.

SLF zum PostshredderOutputfraktionen:• Abfälle zur Deponierung• Kunststoffe zur energetischen• Verwertung• Metalle zum Metallrecycling


100 km

(Variante 3)

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Schema: VOC-Geräte komplett im Shredder I

FCKW-Geräte LKW-Transport 100 km


Nur FCKW-GeräteStufe 1 + 2



FCKW in HTV



Polystyrol zum stofflichenRecycling


(Variante 4)

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Schema: VOC-Geräte komplett im Shredder II

VOC-Kühlgeräteund

fehlsortierte FCKW-Geräte

Shredder

Stufe 1+2 für VOC-Geräte

FCKW-EmissionenVOC-Emissionen

LKW-Transport 50 km


Öle in thermische Verwertung SLF zur MVA

Freisetzung von Cyclopentan und FCKW aus fehlsortierten K.

SLF zum PostshredderOutputfraktionen:• Abfälle zur Deponierung• Kunststoffe zur energetischen• Verwertung• Metalle zum Metallrecycling

(Variante 4)

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Results I: CFC emissions

CFC Emissions

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

8000

9000

10 000

Joint processingat fridge recycling

company

Parallel processingat fridge recycling

company

kg p

er y

ear

R12 R11

HC-appliances: Step 2 in

auto shredder

HC-appliances: Treated entirely in

auto shredder

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Results II

Negative values indicate favourable environmental Negative values indicate favourable environmental impact. The best variant from an environmental impact. The best variant from an environmental point of view is shown against the dark grey point of view is shown against the dark grey background.background.

Variant 1 2 3 4

Joint processing

Parallel processing

HC-appliances:

Step 2 in shredder

HC-appliances: Steps 1+2 in

shredder

Greenhouse effect1000 t CO2-eq

per year-193 -169 -155 -128

Ozone depletion potential

kg R11-eq per year

1,207 4,116 6,573 8,609

Photochemical oxidants

kg ethylene-eq per year

-15,032 3,828 28,221 38,035

Acidification t SO2-eq / year -967 -959 -947 -948

Eutrophication t PO4-eq / year -62 -62 -60.3 -60.9

Particulate matter t PM10-eq / year -1035 -1,027 -1,013 -1015

Cumulative energy expenditure (CEE)

PJ -2.64 -2.63 -2.60 -2.60

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Sensitivity analysis 50% HC-appliances

(Values in parentheses refer to a 20% fraction of HC-appliances)

1 2 3 4

Variant

Joint

processingParallel

processing

HC-appliances:

Step 2 in shredder

HC-appliances: Steps 1+2 in

shredder

Greenhouse effect

1000 t CO2-eq

per year -195 -162 -156 -141

-(193) -(169) -(155) -(128)

Ozone depletion potential

kg R11-eq per year 755 2.573 4.118 5.391

(1.207) (4.116) (6.573) (8.609)

Photochemical oxidants

kg ethylene-eq per year -15.040 32.179 92.666 117.137

-(15.032) (3.828) (28.221) (38.035)

Acidification t SO2-eq / year -968 -943 -936 -944

-(967) -(959) -(947) -(948)

Eutrophication t PO4-eq / year -62 -60 -59 -60

-(62) -(62) -(60) -(61)

Particulate matter t PM10-eq / year -1.035 -1.012 -1.000 -1.008

-(1.035) -(1.027) -(1.013) -(1.015)

Cumulative energy expenditure (CEE)

PJ -2,64 -2,58 -2,67 -2,69

-(2,64) -(2,63) -(2,60) -(2,60)

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Sensitivity analysis − Sorting error rates

0

10.000

20.000

30.000

40.000

50.000

60.000

70.000

80.000

Joint processing Other variants: 1 % Other variants: 5 % Variant 4 with 10 %

kg

R1

1-e

q

Joint processing Parallel processing HC-appliances: Step 2 in auto shredder HC-appliances: Treated entirely in auto shredder

Base line calculation

Sensitivity 10%

Sensitivity 5%

Results for ozone depletion potential

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Greenhouse effect for sorting error rate of 0.1 − 5 %

Sensitivity analyses for various sorting error rates - Effect on greenhouse effect -

-250.000

-200.000

-150.000

-100.000

-50.000

0

50.000

100.000

Sensitivity 0.1 % Base line calculation (1 %) Sensitivity 5 %

t C

O2-

eq /

a

Joint processing

Parallel processing

HC-appliances: Step 2 in auto shredder

HC-appliances: Treated entirely in auto shredder

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The Öko-Institut concludes that:

• For all environmental criteria examined in the study, variant 1 is significantly better than the other three methods of processing waste refrigeration appliances.

• The benefits of variant 1 are robust.

• Missorting is the most important factor. Even conservative estimates of sorting errors yield significant differences with respect to greenhouse potential, ODP and the formation of photochemical oxidants.

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Implications for fridge recycling practice in EU member statesImplications for fridge recycling practice in EU member states

1.1. Attempts to pre-sort fridges according to whether they contain CFCs or HCs is environmentally irresponsible − irrespective of whether Attempts to pre-sort fridges according to whether they contain CFCs or HCs is environmentally irresponsible − irrespective of whether this is done at the local waste collection centre or at the recycling company’s premisesthis is done at the local waste collection centre or at the recycling company’s premises

2.2. Joint processing (variant 1) must be used to a far greater degree than has been the case in EU member states up until nowJoint processing (variant 1) must be used to a far greater degree than has been the case in EU member states up until now

3.3. Regulatory authorities must ensure that systematic and rigorous checks on compliance are conductedRegulatory authorities must ensure that systematic and rigorous checks on compliance are conducted

4.4. Any revision to the WEEE directive must continue to include the stipulation that hydrocarbons are to be recovered and then safely Any revision to the WEEE directive must continue to include the stipulation that hydrocarbons are to be recovered and then safely disposed of or reused.disposed of or reused.


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Essential requirements to ensure Essential requirements to ensure environmentally safe recycling of waste environmentally safe recycling of waste refrigeration equipment in the EUrefrigeration equipment in the EU


• Binding specifications regarding the Binding specifications regarding the amounts of CFCs to be recovered (as amounts of CFCs to be recovered (as implemented in Austria) implemented in Austria)

• Effective testing and controls by Effective testing and controls by regulatory authoritiesregulatory authorities

• Systematic monitoring of material flow Systematic monitoring of material flow streamsstreams

• Transparent implementation of the EU’s Transparent implementation of the EU’s WEEE directiveWEEE directive

• Revision of licensing procedures to reflect Revision of licensing procedures to reflect state-of-the-art recycling technologystate-of-the-art recycling technology

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For a better climate For a better climate and a better and a better environmentenvironment


1 copyright 2007 © ral quality assurance association for the demanufacture of refrigeration...

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