Control air pollution, lower the emission of greenhouse gases and reduce toxic chemicals in consumer products. These are all challenging goals that the California Air Resources Board (CARB) is tackling on an ongoing basis to ensure better air quality for the residents of California and its neighboring states. But for 2009 and beyond, CARB is focusing on a major initiative involving refrigerant gas management.
Global warming is on the minds of many these days. Refrigerant gases can be a big player in this field. Heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems (HVAC) show up in almost every environment, for example, your local school or university, the neighborhood hospital facility, the village supermarket, a cold storage warehouse, gyms and rec facilities and most office buildings, commerce and industrial locations. In short, pretty much everywhere in a developed economy.
Back in 2006, California Air Resource Board industry experts passed a law which deals with refrigerant gas management, entitled the California Global Warming Solutions Act. As CARB contains eleven experts in the field of chemistry, engineering and physics, they focused on the aptly named Stationary Equipment Refrigerant Management Program with a goal of helping to reduce greenhouse gases. AC and refrigerant gas equipment ranging in size between 50 and 2000 pounds is targeted in the regulation of dangerous CO2E emissions.
A refrigeration gas management program is important and needs to cover many different angles. Technician certification ensures quality prior to the sales and service of refrigeration and AC systems which are classified as having 'high potential' in terms of global warming. Further, service practices must be strict to avoid discharge. Regulations must be in place to cover distribution and wholesale as well as reclamation. Gas storage must be regulated and recorded and equipment must be retrofitted, with any leaks being monitored and repaired.
Almost forty years ago, the California Air Resources Board was formed to focus on air quality and areas for improvement. A good refrigerant gas management program is an essential element. CARB has been proactive, working with the people of the state, its' corporations and government bodies with the aim of protecting public health, welfare and the delicate ecology.
California's size ensures that the problem potential for refrigerant gas emission is considerable. The California Air Resources Board is particularly concerned with recovering refrigerant from places that use stationary refrigerant and AC. It is feared that emissions could rise to more than 35 MMTC02E within a decade or so.
There are a significant number of facilities within the state of California which must comply with the new standards for compliance and recording set out by the EPA for refrigerant gas management. All these facilities must be educated and the California Air Resources Board is setting up a series of workshops to do so. Verisae Inc has released Refrigerant Tracker, which is a web-based application solution. This application automatically updates when new instructions or regulations are released by the California EPA, CARB or others. Companies which have a system containing fifty or more pounds of refrigerant gas can record, monitor and control their usage and report any leaks. EPA compliance calls for submission of forms and reports and these reporting requirements are covered by this application.
Air pollution and smog have been big enemies of the people of California over the years. Event though pollution has dropped by 25 percent since 1980 and smog exposure has come down a whopping fifty percent, there is much to do. The Stationary Equipment Refrigerant Management Program and other initiatives allows both CARB and the people of the state to breathe easier as the standard of air quality improves. - 15790
Global warming is on the minds of many these days. Refrigerant gases can be a big player in this field. Heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems (HVAC) show up in almost every environment, for example, your local school or university, the neighborhood hospital facility, the village supermarket, a cold storage warehouse, gyms and rec facilities and most office buildings, commerce and industrial locations. In short, pretty much everywhere in a developed economy.
Back in 2006, California Air Resource Board industry experts passed a law which deals with refrigerant gas management, entitled the California Global Warming Solutions Act. As CARB contains eleven experts in the field of chemistry, engineering and physics, they focused on the aptly named Stationary Equipment Refrigerant Management Program with a goal of helping to reduce greenhouse gases. AC and refrigerant gas equipment ranging in size between 50 and 2000 pounds is targeted in the regulation of dangerous CO2E emissions.
A refrigeration gas management program is important and needs to cover many different angles. Technician certification ensures quality prior to the sales and service of refrigeration and AC systems which are classified as having 'high potential' in terms of global warming. Further, service practices must be strict to avoid discharge. Regulations must be in place to cover distribution and wholesale as well as reclamation. Gas storage must be regulated and recorded and equipment must be retrofitted, with any leaks being monitored and repaired.
Almost forty years ago, the California Air Resources Board was formed to focus on air quality and areas for improvement. A good refrigerant gas management program is an essential element. CARB has been proactive, working with the people of the state, its' corporations and government bodies with the aim of protecting public health, welfare and the delicate ecology.
California's size ensures that the problem potential for refrigerant gas emission is considerable. The California Air Resources Board is particularly concerned with recovering refrigerant from places that use stationary refrigerant and AC. It is feared that emissions could rise to more than 35 MMTC02E within a decade or so.
There are a significant number of facilities within the state of California which must comply with the new standards for compliance and recording set out by the EPA for refrigerant gas management. All these facilities must be educated and the California Air Resources Board is setting up a series of workshops to do so. Verisae Inc has released Refrigerant Tracker, which is a web-based application solution. This application automatically updates when new instructions or regulations are released by the California EPA, CARB or others. Companies which have a system containing fifty or more pounds of refrigerant gas can record, monitor and control their usage and report any leaks. EPA compliance calls for submission of forms and reports and these reporting requirements are covered by this application.
Air pollution and smog have been big enemies of the people of California over the years. Event though pollution has dropped by 25 percent since 1980 and smog exposure has come down a whopping fifty percent, there is much to do. The Stationary Equipment Refrigerant Management Program and other initiatives allows both CARB and the people of the state to breathe easier as the standard of air quality improves. - 15790
About the Author:
Daniel Stouffer has a lot of information on the significance of adequate refrigerant gas management and the part of the California Air Resources Board.