| The following explains the California Global Warming | | | | Clean Air Act (Section 608). |
| Solutions Act (AB 32) at summary level with a short | | | | The Stationary Equipment Refrigerant Management |
| introduction to the Stationary Equipment Refrigerant | | | | Program developed by California's Air Resources |
| Management Program to be integrated into the AB | | | | Board (CARB) is a protocol and detailed requirements |
| 32 legislation in 2009. Communicated here is | | | | for the management of new or existing AC/HVAC |
| information related to existing and emerging | | | | systems containing refrigerant gases. According to |
| refrigerant gas management, monitoring, tracking, and | | | | CARB this strategy includes careful monitoring of |
| reporting legislation to be effective in 2010. | | | | potential refrigerant gas leaks, improved record |
| How to stay ahead and address the early action | | | | keeping and certification of personnel as well as |
| requirements for Stationary Equipment Refrigerant | | | | specifications for PFC and HCFC recovery equipment. |
| Management to be included in updates to AB 32. | | | | The proposed Stationary Equipment Refrigerant |
| The California Global Warming Solutions Act (AB 32), | | | | Management Program, which integrates two AB 32 |
| first passed in 2006 with additional early actions | | | | early action measures, addresses the detailed |
| taking effect in 2010, is a broad and comprehensive | | | | monitoring and management of the PFCs and HCFCs |
| directive with the goal of reducing greenhouse | | | | noted above and includes tracking requirements for |
| gasses (GHGs) by approximately 25% by the year | | | | new and existing commercial and industrial |
| 2020. This objective of the early action stems from | | | | refrigeration systems. Likely to be implemented by |
| increases in carbon equivalent emissions in California | | | | January, 2010, is the monitoring and management of |
| since 1990. The intent of the legislation to reduce | | | | high global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants in |
| greenhouse gasses to their 1990 levels, thereby | | | | large systems in the range of 2,000 pounds of |
| reversing 16 years of pollution in less than 14 years. | | | | refrigerant gas. |
| As part of the California Global Warming Solutions | | | | CARB is charged with the monitoring GHGs and high |
| Act (AB 32) the Air Resources Board (ARB) has | | | | GWP gasses, as well and the eventual development |
| approved an early action measure to reduce | | | | and enforcement of specific and quantitative new |
| high-global warming potential (GWP) greenhouse gas | | | | regulations covering carbon related emissions which |
| (GHGs) emissions by establishing new legislation and | | | | refrigerant management with the tracking, reporting, |
| defining requirements related to improved monitoring | | | | cylinder management, and gas recovery for |
| of AC/HVAC systems, enforcement of regulations, | | | | stationary refrigerant and air conditioning (AC) |
| reporting of refrigerant usage, and recovery, | | | | systems all becoming key integral parts. |
| recycling, or destruction of high-GWP refrigerant | | | | The CARB proposal could also involve fines for |
| gases. | | | | mismanagement of refrigerant record keeping, |
| The greenhouse gasses (GHGs) as defined by the | | | | intentional venting of systems, and the inability to |
| California's AB 32 are identical to those gasses | | | | regularly submit the required refrigerant usage |
| identified in the Kyoto Protocol. These gases are | | | | reports. The CARB enforces Section 608 of the US |
| already being regulated, monitored, and managed by | | | | Clean Air Act in specific and quantifiable terms in |
| many other countries around the World. In addition to | | | | cooperation of the Environmental Protection Agency |
| carbon dioxide (CO2), which is the most widely | | | | (EPA), as the existing national and state refrigerant |
| known GHG, the following gasses are also defined as | | | | regulations are applied to leaks, emissions, venting, |
| GHGs with high global warming potential (GWP) | | | | and the recovery processes. |
| carbon equivalent emissions by the AB 32 legislation: | | | | The overall intent of CARB's strategy is to monitor |
| * Methane (CH4): a byproduct of waste | | | | and reduce the introduction of man-made GHGs and |
| decomposition, and natural geological phenomena; the | | | | high GWP gasses into the atmosphere, as called for |
| majority of methane is derived from natural gas | | | | in the California Global Warming Solutions ACT (AB |
| drilling. | | | | 32) in effect since 2006 with tighter controls, |
| * Nitrous Oxide (N2O): a pollutant created by | | | | monitoring, and overall regulations becoming |
| industrial processes, motor vehicle exhaust, and | | | | enforceable by early 2010. |
| industrial air pollutants reacting with the atmosphere; | | | | Refrigerant gas monitoring, tracking, and |
| similar to methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O) is often | | | | management are important business planning |
| attributed to agriculture and waste disposal. | | | | considerations. Just like organizations manage assets, |
| * Sulfur Hexafluoride (SF6): a gas used for various | | | | like a delivery truck, the consequences the release of |
| electrical applications, including gas insulated | | | | high GWP gases, such as refrigerant gases, must be |
| switchgear. Sulfur Hexafluoride is also used for | | | | consider. Refrigerants cost money, harm the ozone |
| experimental applications. | | | | and environment, and are subject to mandatory |
| * Perfluorocarbons (PFCs) and | | | | carbon emissions reporting. As organizations with AC |
| Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs): a collection of | | | | HVAC systems containing refrigerant gas of 50 |
| commonly used refrigerant and aerosol gasses with a | | | | pounds or more will soon find out, the effective |
| wide variety of other commercial applications. CFCs | | | | monitoring, management of data, and systematic |
| and HCFCs are considered Ozone Depleting | | | | reporting of refrigerant usage will be key to business |
| Substances (ODSs), as defined in title VI of the US | | | | success in our emerging carbon economy. |