Management and destruction of existing ozone depleting substances in ODS banks

The project “Management and destruction of existing ozone depleting substances (ODS) in ODS Banks” implemented by GIZ Proklima and funded by the International Climate Initiative (IKI) on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) deals with the waste from old cooling appliances. The aim of the project is to reduce emissions from so-called “ODS Banks” through the implementation of national strategies and regional cooperation in five partner countries.

Cooling devices, such as refrigerators or air-conditioning units, and also foam boards used to insulate building, generally involve the use of fluorinated refrigerants such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), or hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). CFCs and HCFCs are known to be ozone-depleting substances (ODS) with a very high global warming potential and have gradually been replaced with HFCs, which are not ODS but still significantly contribute to global warming. The excessive use of ODS has led to the accumulation of large “ODS banks” globally. Their yearly emissions equal 1.5 Gt CO2equ and equate to the annual emissions from 441 coal power plants.

The global project is implemented in cooperation with Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Ghana, Iran and Tunisia. It assists its partners in establishing appropriate collection, recovery and destruction procedures for ODS by helping them improve prevailing conditions, and by transferring good practices and technology for the management and destruction of ODS banks.

StEP Member involved: GIZ Proklima

Find out more: https://www.giz.de/en/worldwide/30797.html

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