UN Division for Sustainable Development

Case Study Detail Record

Organization type:	Government

Name of Ministry/Agency:	Ministry of Environment

Country:	New Zealand

Name of Focal Point:	Lesley WOUDBERG

Initiative Title:	RECOVERY Ozone Protection Company

Internet links:	http://www.opc.co.nz

Scope:	National: - New Zealand

Status:	Ongoing

Timeframe:	Start: Pre 1997 End: 2015

Lead Institution:	New Zealand Institute of Refrigeration, Heating and Air conditioning Engineers

Stakeholders/Partners:

Relevent issues:

Objectives/Challenges:

To promote the facilitate the collection, storage and disposal of all ozone depleting substances during the phase out period.

Summary:

Industry groups that continue to use CFC’s and HCFC’s have accepted their responsibility to discard the refrigerant in an environmentally acceptable way. In 1993, a Trust was formed by the New Zealand Institute of Refrigeration, Heating and Air conditioning Engineers with one objective in mind: to promote the facilitate the collection, storage and disposal of all ozone depleting substances during the phase out period. The Trust, now known as RECOVERY, also consults with environmental groups and reports regularly to government through the Minister for the Environment

The RECOVERY programme is funded through a wholesale levy that is placed on every kilogram of imported ozone depleting refrigerant ($1:00/per kilogram). When the phase out of ozone depleting substances concludes in 2015 funding of the Trust from the levy will also conclude. From August 1993 to March 2006 total levy receipts have exceeded $5,180,000 reflecting the sale of wholesalers of in access of 5,180,000 kilograms of CFC or HCFC or mixes thereof with an ozone depleting potential of 0.01 or more.

The RECOVERY company was formed to own units and storage tanks required to collect and store refrigerants. The process, which is provided at no charge to industry participants, includes the provided at no charge to industry participants, includes the provision of secure transfer units and storage tanks to hold unwanted refrigerants. From accredited collection depots in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, the refrigerants are transferred to overseas destruction facilities.

To March 2006 67,522 kilograms of refrigerants have been collected and destroyed in the facilities of Dascem Holdings Limited (Australia) with a further 3,000 kilograms awaiting destruction.