Background
Out of sight, out of mind – since their prohibition in the Montreal Protocol, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) have been forgotten. But CFCs are particularly dangerous greenhouse gases. They not only damage the ozone layer but also contribute to climate change.
The change in climate which can currently be observed is caused mainly by humans, and the scientific evidence leaves us in no doubt. The drastic effects of climate change are already easy to measure and prove. This realisation has also found acceptance in large parts of the world’s population. The will to curb climate change is huge. 2009 has been declared the «Year of Climate Protection» and in the form of a follow-up to the Kyoto Protocol, which will take place in Copenhagen in December, it is hoped that it will bring a breakthrough in worldwide climate policy.
SENS International is focusing on climate protection projects on the basis of CFC recovery and recycling. Since their prohibition in the Montreal Protocol, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) have been forgotten. With the gradual prohibition of these substances, the problem appeared to be solved at the beginning of the 1990s. This conclusion is deceptive, however, because old refrigerators and freezers still contain a considerable quantity of CFCs which can enter the atmosphere if not recycled correctly. This is all the more serious because CFCs damage the ozone layer and increase the greenhouse effect.
While the problem of refrigeration appliances has been regulated in Europe on a national level and throughout the EU, it still continues in developing countries and especially in emerging markets. This is where the Swiss Climate Protection Initiative comes into its own.