UN Division for Sustainable Development

Case Study Detail Record

Organization type:	Government

Name of Ministry/Agency:

Country:	Denmark

Initiative Title:	Danish Refrigeration Installer Environmental Scheme - Montreal Protocol

Internet links:	http://kmo.dk/index.html

Scope:

Status:	Ongoing

Timeframe:	Start: End:

Stakeholders/Partners:

Relevent issues:	- Control measures derived from the Montreal Protocol

Objectives/Challenges:

To ensure the ceanest technology is used in the refrigeration

Lessons Learned:

Since 1992 the sector has spent about DKK 9 million on the scheme, which today can be considered as a reasonably successful and a natural part of environmental protection measures in Denmark. However, in recent years it has been found that local authorities are not always able to carry out their tasks to ensure correct treatment of the CFC-based refrigerants. The implementation of the KMO scheme must be considered a success, and it has become a natural part of environmental protection measures in Denmark today.

Policy Options:

Since 1992, the Danish Refrigeration Installers' Environmental Scheme (KMO scheme) has offered authorities voluntary assistance in relation to the collection and disposal of refrigerant waste that the existing waste system was unable to deal with satisfactorily. Actors in the Danish refrigeration sector established the KMO scheme on their own initiative following the Danish Government’s ratification of the Montreal Protocol in 1992. This Protocol bans emissions of a number of CFC gases in order to protect the atmosphere’s ozone layers.

Summary:

According to the Environmental Protection Act, local authorities must ensure that the cleanest technology is used. If leaking refrigeration units are repeatedly refilled with CFC, HCFC or HFC we risk causing depletion of the ozone layer or global warming. Likewise, the Statutory Order on Waste states that transporters of waste must report what hazardous wastes they transport and where and when they do it, to the local authorities.

It turns out that the scheme is the first of its kind, and therefore has become reason for many discussions of the different methods we use for collection and disposal of waste that requires special product knowledge. Many enquiries have been made and ideas put forth on a continuous basis as to how we could solve the challenge of collection and disposal. It was found that the task cannot be solved satisfactorily by the normal public-sector waste system since it is not geared for managing this type of problematic waste. Therefore, the KMO scheme is important to decide about who is to deal with the problematic waste and the conditions they should be subject to. In addition, this waste problem is complex in that refrigerants primarily pollute due to uncontrolled leaks from refrigeration units that are in use. Less pollution occurs under emptying and transport from the “waste producer” to the controlled storage site. For the same reason, the organizers of the KMO scheme decided that it would be interesting not only to know about how much refrigerant is removed from refrigeration units, but also to know how much and which refrigerant the refrigeration units are filled with.

Only a few enterprises have declined to join the scheme, and overall the scheme is accepted by most enterprises, though not necessarily accepted with great enthusiasm. Many local authorities are satisfied that the refrigeration trade is able to regulate itself, especially since the local authorities often do not have the financial resources to carry out the control that the environmental legislation requires. The Technical College of Jutland in Hadsten has noticed a change of attitude amongst the trainees and professionals on its courses, whereby thinking about the environment has become incorporated in their daily life.

In recent years, the automotive sector has become a significant partner in the KMO scheme. This can be attributed to the fact that some tool suppliers who also sell filling and removal equipment refer their customers to the KMO scheme.
Since air-conditioning in cars has become so common, the automotive sector’s primary training centres have now included a module on refrigeration in their course programmes. The colleges have expressed their desire to be recognized by the KMO scheme as course providers for courses aim at gaining KMO approval.