E-Waste and the Circular Economy
Old Fridges, ACs and Refrigerant Gases
Why discarded fridges and air conditioners are a special e-waste problem because of refrigerant gases that harm the ozone layer and climate, and how safe recovery works.
Old fridges and air conditioners are bulky e-waste with a hidden hazard.
Refrigerant gases
- Older appliances contain CFCs and HCFCs, which damage the ozone layer.
- Newer ones use HFCs, which don’t harm ozone but are powerful greenhouse gases, thousands of times stronger than CO2 over short periods.
Global agreements
- The Montreal Protocol (1987) phased out ozone-depleting gases, one of the most successful environmental treaties.
- The Kigali Amendment (2016) agreed to phase down HFCs; India’s phase-down begins from the late 2020s.
The disposal problem
- Informal dismantlers often vent refrigerant gases into the air while extracting copper and steel.
- Safe recovery needs equipment to capture gases.
Growth
India’s cooling boom means millions more ACs and fridges will be discarded in coming decades.
Solutions
- Recovery and reclamation of refrigerants.
- Take-back schemes with buyback offers.
- Moving to climate-friendly refrigerants.
Economic view
Venting gases is a negative externality; safe recovery costs money that someone must pay.
The vented gas
A scrap dealer cuts open an old AC to recover copper pipes, releasing its refrigerant gas into the air without anyone noticing.
Thinking old appliances are harmless metal scrap
Their refrigerant gases can harm the ozone layer and climate.
Key takeaways
- Old fridges and ACs contain harmful refrigerant gases.
- The Montreal Protocol phased out ozone-depleting gases.
- The Kigali Amendment phases down HFCs.
- Informal dismantling often vents gases.
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