Multi-country – Avoiding Emissions of High-GWP Fluorocarbons through a Pilot Project on Refrigerant Destruction in Cement Kiln in Kenya, Malawi, Uganda and Zimbabwe

RATIONALE

This project responds to requests made by the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry of Kenya, the Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) of Malawi, the Ministry of Water and Environment of Uganda, the Ministry of Environment, Climate and Wildlife of Zimbabwe to develop a business model for lifecycle refrigerant management, specifically end of life management of refrigerants through a pilot project on fluorocarbon destruction through cement kilns.  

This project will lead to a sustainable business model for the end of life management of high-GWP HFCs and other gases for up to 144 Article 5 or developing countries. Pursuant to Decision 91/66 of the Executive Committee of the Multilateral Fund, 89 Article 5 (developing) countries supported by implementing agencies are preparing national inventory of banks of controlled substances and a national plan for management of these substances, that will include approaches for the collection, transport, storage and disposal specifically the destruction of waste-controlled substances, a description for a potential business model detailing arrangements with various stakeholders, private sector commitment and involvement in these activities, from waste collection to eventual destruction shall be included in the submission.

Kenya, Malawi, Uganda and Zimbabwe have requested support for such a multi-country project and are suitable because 1) all countries have a framework for carbon finance; 2) all countries have at least one cement kiln that can be retrofitted to allow for the destruction of fluorocarbons; 3) in all countries, the private sector and stakeholders have an existing network to leverage; and 4) all National Ozone Units are engaged with CCAC Cooling Hub.

There is a lack of successful business models for the end of life management of refrigerants in developing countries, and HFC and other ODS banks are becoming a serious challenge. In addition to the Multilateral Fund support for the inventories and strategies, there is no available funding for destruction of the controlled substances.  

Obligatory regulation on management and destruction is lacking because national or regional destruction facilities do not exist, or destruction costs are very high (e.g. 30 USD per kg in South Africa). Transboundary shipment is very complex and expensive. Technicians are not recovering old refrigerants because of lack of regulation, enforcement, incentives, tools and equipment, collection centres, etc. E-waste recycling centres do also not recover refrigerants and do not know how to destroy old ODS foams. National laboratories that can do comprehensive testing ODS and HFC have also limitations.  

Destruction facilities do not exist in many Article 5 countries. The existing cement kilns do not have refrigerant dosing stations, these companies are not willing to invest in dosing stations and the required laboratory testing and certification without having a stable rate of return. However, investment costs, laboratory costs and destruction costs per kg would be reasonable compared to the large mitigation potential. The cement kilns have continued emission monitoring systems already installed, and 3rd party laboratory and certification companies exist in the countries or the region.  

Leakage rates are very high and can reach in the air conditioning sector up to 100-200% per year. A lot of the old RAC equipment is still using ODS R22 that is or will be phased-out in latest until the end of 2030. Most of the equipment is at its end of life. Consequently, large banks are potentially available. Countries need to prepare for the implementation of the Kigali Amendment.  

This project will establish a sustainable and environmental sound management and destruction systems in Kenya, Malawi, Uganda and Zimbabwe. Apart from improving recovery, collection, management, testing of old ODS and HFC refrigerants, equipping training and waste management centres, capacity building activities for trainers, technicians and waste management personnel will be conducted.  

National/regional destruction facilities will be established and current banks and collected refrigerants under the project will be destroyed. The achieved mitigation will be accounted under the future round of NDCs of the respective countries. This project will lead to a sustainable financing mechanism that will truly benefit the four developing countries and can be replicated and scaled up in other developing countries. Lessons learned will be shared at regional and international events.  

Activities

Outcome 1: The Governments of Kenya, Malawi, Uganda and Zimbabwe set up and operationalize at least one fluorocarbon destruction facility their country by the end of the project or soon after.

Indicator: Number of SLCP mitigation tools, technologies, or practices adopted    

• Output 1.1: Report on the establishment of the destruction facilities in each country including the destruction reports
  • Collect current ODS and HFC banks (mainly refrigerants but also foams)  
  • Laboratory testing of ODS and HFC banks  
  • Assess potential destruction plants (mainly cement kilns) regarding ODS, HFC, and POPs, etc. destruction  
  • Sign MOUs between NOU and destruction plants that include destruction free of charge for an agreed amount of ODS and HFCs
  • Install refrigerant dosing stations
  • Test burns including laboratory tests and certification of destruction plants according to TEAP guidelines and minimum requirements
  • Destroy current banks and recovered and collected old refrigerants  
  • Destroy ODS foams if available  
  • Submit destruction reports  

Outcome 2: The Governments of Kenya, Malawi, Uganda and Zimbabwe have increased capacity to develop and operationalize a system for collection, storage and transportation of unwanted fluorocarbons by the end of the project

Indicator: Number of government entities with a demonstrated improved capacity for SLCP action    

• Output 2.1: Training of stakeholders from Ministries for the Environment or Waste, National Ozone Units, Basel, Stockholm and Rotterdam conventions Secretariat. The training should:
  • Equip training centres with recovery units, recovery cylinders, etc.  
  • Develop training materials and curricula on recovery, storage, transport of OSD and HFC banks.  
  • Conduct Training of Trainers (ToTs) for RAC trainers  
  • Conduct trainings for RAC trainers  

Output 3. The cement kiln industry, collectors, transporters, and servicing technicians of Kenya, Malawi, Uganda and Zimbabwe have increased awareness and capacity on developing and operationalizing a system for collection, storage and transportation of unwanted fluorocarbons by the end of the project.  

Indicators: Number of non-government entities with a demonstrated improved capacity for SLCP action   

• Output 3.1: Training of collector, transporters and servicing technicians. The training should include:  
  • Training material and curricula on recovery, storage, transport of OSD and HFC banks.
  • Training delivered
  • Awareness raising material on operationalizing a system for collection, storage, and transportation of unwanted fluorocarbons

Outcome 4: Public-Private Partnerships in Kenya, Malawi, Uganda and Zimbabwe are developed and the four countries adopt a business model for the end of life management of fluorocarbons that is replicable by the end of the project.

Indicators: Amount of external funding (“catalysed funding”) for SLCP actions

• Output 4.1: Report on the sustainable system for end of life management of unwanted fluorocarbon banks resulting in avoided emissions in target countries, potentially including the use of Article 6.4 carbon credit mechanism and accounting for CO2eq under the NDCs of the country.
  • Design collection and incentive schemes
  • Set up collection points and equip them with tools  
  • Develop technical guidelines on safe handling of banks  
  • Train staff at collection schemes  
  • Pilot recovery incentive schemes  
  • Account the destruction under the nationally determined contributions (NDC)  
  • Develop sustainable financing mechanism and business models that truly benefit the partner countries and sector.  

Outcome 5: Other Article 5 countries replicate the business model based on the experience of Kenya, Malawi, Uganda and Zimbabwe

Indicator: Amount of external funding (“catalysed funding”) for SLCP actions  

• Output 5.1: Awareness materials on the business model and approach developed for replication and scaling-up recommendations for other countries.
  • Design and disseminate user-friendly awareness materials on the results of the project
  • Presentation of results in relevant global/regional events to share lessons learned 

Reference number: [CLG-25-005] Multi-Country – Avoiding Emissions of High-GWP fluorocarbons through a pilot project on refrigerant Destruction in Cement Kilns in Kenya, Malawi, Uganda and Zimbabwe