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Government action

Danish Government

The Danish Government is the only government to plan the phase out of PIGGs. It proposes to eliminate HFCs, with a phase-out date of 2006 and has introduced Europe's first tax on PIGGs.

UK Government

The UK Government has described HFCs as an 'unsustainable' alternative to CFCs. The majority of EU countries have restrictions on some of the F-gases, but few except Denmark have real phase-out dates.

Norwegian Government

The Norwegian Government followed the Danish lead on F gas taxes. The recommended levy of about NKr250 (€30) per tonne of CO₂-equivalent is based on a report commissioned by the environment ministry. The duty would be paid back on delivery of HFCs, PFCs and SF₆ to a collection centre, or when they are removed from scrapped equipment. For more information see http://www.sft.no/english/ or http://www.sft.no/nyheter/dbafile3760.html.

Austrian Government

The Austrian Government has presented a draft proposal to phase out HFCs, aiming to limit the total emissions of fluorinated gases by 2008 at the 1,300,000 ton C0₂ equivalent.

Other dates:

• 1 January 2002 HFCs phased out as a refrigerant in new fixed refrigeration and air conditioning equipment(domestic and smaller business use) produced after 31 January 2001
• 1 January 2005 HFC phased out as a refrigerant in all other new refrigeration and air conditioning equipment produced after 31 December 2004
• 1 January 2010 Phase out use of HFCs for maintenance and repair of existing equipment
• 1 January 2002 2005 ban on HFCs as blowing agent
• 1 january 2002 ban on HFCs in aerosols (except inhalers and electronics industry)
• 1 January 2002 HFC in solvents (1 Jan 2006 closed systems)
• 1 January 2002 ban in fire extinguishers (if produced after 21 12 2001)
• 1 January 2005 all other fire extinguishers.

SF₆:

• 1 January 2000 ban in use of vehicle tyres
• 1 January 2002 ban on use in window manufacturing
• 1 January 2004 ban in electric switchgear producing an 80% reduction on 1995 levels
• 1 January 2003 ban in magnesium production
• 1 January 2010 ban in use in semiconductors

Irish Government

The Irish Government's climate change strategy, released in November 2000, included a firm commitment to phase out PIGGs, and signalled a move toward a regulatory and or taxation regime for the use of these F Gases, especially in the area of HFCs. See the Irish Government's Climate Change Strategy (http://www.environ.ie)