The thirty-ninth meeting of the Open-Ended Working Group to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (OEWG 39) convened at the UN Conference Centre in Bangkok, Thailand from 11-14 July 2017. This is the first Montreal Protocol meeting since the Kigali Amendment. Wang Lei, Vice President of China Household Electrical Appliances Association (CHEAA) and Dou Yanwei, Deputy Secretary General of CHEAA, attended the meeting to follow the latest policy changes, which could affect the implementation of China’s air conditioner sector greatly.
At the Workshop on Safety Standards Relevant to the Safe Use of Low Global Warming Potential (GWP) Alternatives to HFCs held on 10 July 2017, Dou Yanwei gave a keynote speech on the flammability and risk assessment issues as an invited expert.
The OEWG 39 and the Workshop saw a heated discussion on the implementation of Kigali Amendment. At OEWG 39, a number of countries expressed a strong desire to control HFCs. For instance, the EU announced the European Parliament’s ratification of Kigali Amendment at the meeting.
China’s home appliance industry is facing the phase out of HFC-410a used in room air conditioner sector, and HFC-134a and HFC-245a used in home refrigerator sector.
Air conditioner-used refrigerants play a big part in the reduction of greenhouse gases which are generated from chemical agents, while China takes a market share of 75% in global air conditioner industry. For the long term interest of China’s air conditioner sector and refrigerator sector, CHEAA will continue its efforts in following international policies, and advancing the replacement of refrigerants through the Montreal Protocol and OEWGs.
On July 12-13, Wang Lei and Dou Yanwei visited Haier’s Bangkok plant and Higasket’s Bangkok plant.
