Manual for Refrigeration Servicing Technicians - UNEP - Division of ...

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Summary 3.1. Management plans
This chapter covers a variety of important aspects
related to the handling and management of
refrigerants, with the primary focus on maintaining
good quality refrigerant and avoiding emissions and
wastage. Specific topics include: the good handling
and use of cylinders, and issues related to the re-use
and proper disposal of refrigerants. In addition, the
concept of refrigerant conservation is explained, with
practical measures for all stages of refrigerant use,
such as containment within systems, proper recovery
and recycling methods and reclamation. The reader
should be able to:
• Describe how to correctly handle refrigerants
• Describe the ways to promote refrigerant
conservation
• Identify refrigerant emissions
• Describe how to perform refrigerant recovery and
recycling activities
Refrigerant Management
Refrigerant management has been done in two levels: at a country government
level and at installation/application level. Strategies for refrigerant
management have been developed at a country level as an action
of the Montreal Protocol implementation in developing countries by
UNEP and other implementing agencies in conjunction with National
Ozone Units (NOUs) and other governmental institutions.
The Multilateral Fund (MLF) assistance to Article 5 countries in
the refrigeration servicing sector started in 1991 when projects
for training service technicians and recovering and recycling
chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) refrigerants were first approved. In 1997 these
standalone projects were replaced by Refrigerant Management Plans
(RMP). Refrigerant management is an approach to optimising the
use of available refrigerants in the existing equipment and minimising
the demand for virgin refrigerants for servicing through technical and
regulatory measures. This is aiming to allow the appropriate operation
of the equipment throughout its lifecycle at reducing harmful impact
to the environment resulting from the emission of refrigerants.
The conditions and resources allocated for the RMPs have been
adjusted from time to time. After the RMPs, projects called Terminal
Phase-out Management Plans (TPMP) have been developed. Under
a TPMP, a country receives funding for a full phase-out of CFC
consumption on the understanding that no further funding will be
requested.