Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and Ministry of Environment (MOE) firmly established a policy to amend the ozone layer protection law to phase down the domestic production and consumption (production + import – export) of HFC. A proposal for revision is to be submitted to the coming ordinary session of the Diet in 2018 and to be enacted by January 2019.

With regard to the international framework to restrict fluorocarbons, MOP28 (The 28th Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol) was held in Kigali, Rwanda in last October, and the addition of HFC as a restrictive gas was adopted in the revision of the Protocol (so called Kigali Amendment). The reduction of HFC in the amendment of law determined by both ministries was intended towards the ratification of the Kigali Amendment.

The Kigali Amendment applicable to the specified 18 types of HFC (cf. Table) are divided into three groups of developed and developing countries for each of which a reduction schedule is provided.

For Japan classified as a developed country, a baseline was determined at the average amount of production and consumption from 2011 to 2013. Based on the line, our targets have been determined to be a 10% reduction in 2019, 40% in 2024, 70% in 2029, 80% in 2034 and 85% in 2036 respectively.

However, it should be taken note that the object of reduction has turned out to be the total volume of 18 types of HFC to be indicated with a CO2 converted value. As each type of HFCs has a different GWP, it will be more effective to reduce an HFC of higher GWP than imposing the same target of reduction on the 18 types. Therefore, an effective reduction of HFC is sought by means of using the values converted by CO2.

According to METI, the Japanese HFC production and consumption of HFC in the baseline year amounted to about 70 million tons in the CO2 conversion. Our immediate target must first be a 10% reduction by 2019. The domestic applications of HFC include refrigerants, spraying agents, blowing agents and cleaners. The refrigerants are the largest consumer.

As R404A (3920) and R410A (2090) have the highest GWPs, it seems that these two refrigerants will be urged for conversion for the time being. On the other hand, there is a possibility of acceleration for conversion of R134a (1430) which is being switched to HFO1234yf in part.

R32 which Daikin is promoting now has a comparatively lower GWP (675) seems to be not subject to restriction with view to marketing.