Halocarbons are refrigerant gases mostly used in refrigerators, freezers and air conditioners.
Source : La Presse - Jean-Thomas Léveillé Photo@Alain Roberge
The allocation by Quebec of offset credits for the destruction of halocarbons within the framework of the carbon market is ineffective and counterproductive, deplores a very critical report by the Institut de l’énergie Trottier, of Polytechnique Montreal.
These cooling gases used for better part in refrigerators, freezers and air conditioners are powerful greenhouse gases (GHG), whose impact is 1,000 to 11,000 times greater than carbon dioxide (CO2).
Their destruction at end of life is already mandatory, but their leaks, mainly from commercial systems - which are less airtight than factory-assembled residential appliances because they are assembled on site and include a lot of piping whose joints are as many potential leak points – are significant sources of GHG emissions.