The Environmental Audit Committee has today published the
Government Response to its report, UK progress on reducing F-Gas
emissions.
The Committee’s Report examined the UK’s progress on reducing the
use of F-gases which have a global warming potential (GWP) many
times greater than carbon dioxide. It found that the UK
could go further to reduce F-gas emissions and noted that the
reduction of such emissions globally could knock 0.5 degrees off
global temperature rises.
, Chair of the Environmental
Audit Committee, said:
“Tackling F-gas emissions is crucial to reducing the UK’s
greenhouse gas output, and doing so would demonstrate our
commitment to tackling climate change. Last month, the Committee
on Climate Change expressed support for our F-gas policy
recommendations, given its warnings that the UK may miss its
overall carbon budgets.
“Reducing our reliance on asthma inhalers containing F-gases
could take place quickly given the reliable and clinically
effective alternatives. But figures show that the proportion of
inhalers dispensed using F-gases increased last year.
“The Government’s failure to address the subsidy scheme for heat
pumps means that up to 15,000 heat pumps using F-gases will be
paid for by the taxpayer over the next three years.
“While the Government was positive about many of our
recommendations, we are disappointed it has not shown more
urgency and set out clear targets and a timeframe for achieving
them. The Government can and should do more.”
UK Government could make more progress on reducing F-gas
emissions
The Committee’s Report called upon the Government to:
- Ensure that
the NHS increases the use of environmentally friendly inhalers
- Work with
industry to create a recycling system for inhalers (MDIs) that
use F-gases
- Include MDIs
in its Waste Strategy to avoid them going to landfill
- Use its
procurement power to promote products with a lower GWP
- Enforce
existing F-gas regulations
- Address the
regulatory impact of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU’s F-gas
regime
- Stop
allowing heat pumps with high GWP F-gases to receive subsidies
from the Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme
Defra in its response has stated that it will look at number of
our suggestions to make further progress on reducing F-gases:
- NICE and the NHS will work with clinicians and industry to
promote greater use of low GWP inhalers.
- It will discuss with industry how recycling of high GWP
inhalers can be increased
- It will consider whether high GWP inhalers should be included
as a problematic waste stream in its upcoming Resources and Waste
Strategy
- It will continue to work with industry to address barriers to
the uptake of low GWP refrigerants in heat pumps
- It will explore how Greening Government Commitments can be
used to set early targets for phasing out products containing
high GWP F-gases
- It will consider whether and to what timescale restrictions
are required for high GWP top-up kits for car air conditioning
- It will run a specific campaign aimed at manufacturers and
suppliers to inform them of the ban on technical aerosols that
use high GWP F-gas propellants
- It will work with industry to publicise options for training
in alternative refrigerants
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