Environmental Guidelines

Management of Halocarbons

PRIMARY GOAL
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
AUTHORITIES
SECTION 1 - DEFINITIONS, RESPONSIBILITIES AND SCOPE
SECTION 2 - GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
SECTION 3 - SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS
SECTION 4 - DATA MANAGEMENT AND REPORTING
SECTION 5 - REFERENCES AND AWARENESS

SCHEDULE 1 - List of Halocarbons
SCHEDULE 2 - Notice of Charging of a Chiller that has Undergone an Overhaul with a Halocarbon Listed in any of Items 1 to 9 of Schedule 1
SCHEDULE 3 - Inventory Information for Chillers, Refrigeration and Air-conditioning Systems
SCHEDULE 4 - Leak Test Notice for Refrigeration and Air-conditioning Systems
SCHEDULE 5 - Dismantling, Decommissioning or Destruction Notice for a System
SCHEDULE 6 - Refrigeration System or Air-conditioning System Service Log
SCHEDULE 7 - Halocarbon Release Report

ENVIRONMENTAL GUIDELINES (EG) - MANAGEMENT OF HALOCARBONS

PRIMARY GOAL

To protect the stratospheric ozone layer.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

Eliminate halocarbon emissions, i.e. ozone depleting substances - such as CFCs, HCFCs and halons - originating from federal installations (namely from chillers, refrigeration and air-conditioning systems that contain halocarbons) on federal lands.

Formalize practices regarding the management of halocarbons, such that applicable procedures and responsibilities are clearly established and compliant with federal and/or provincial requirements, and consistently implemented.

Comply with the regulatory measures to achieve an orderly transition from CFCs contained in chillers, refrigeration and air-conditioning systems to alternative substances and technologies as per Canada's Strategy to Accelerate the Phase-out of CFC and Halons Uses and to Dispose of the Surplus Stocks, 2001.

AUTHORITIES

Correctional Service of Canada Commissioner's Directive 318 - Environmental Programs, June 2003.

Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999.

Federal Halocarbon Regulations, 2003.

Ozone-depleting Substances Regulations, 1998.

Environment Canada, Environmental Protection Service - Environmental Code of Practice for Elimination of Fluorocarbon Emissions from Refrigeration and Air-conditioning Systems, March 1996.

Canada's Strategy to Accelerate the Phase-out of CFC and Halons Uses and to Dispose of the Surplus Stocks, CCME, May 2001.

SECTION 1 - DEFINITIONS, RESPONSIBILITIES AND SCOPE

The definitions in this section apply in these Environmental Guidelines. For additional definitions, please refer to the above-mentioned Regulations and Refrigerant Code of Practice.

Air-conditioning system - An air-conditioning system, including any associated equipment, that contains or is designed to contain a halocarbon refrigerant.

Appropriate container - In respect of an halocarbon management, a container that is designed and manufactured to be refilled and to contain a specific type of halocarbon.

Bromofluorocarbon - A fully halogenated bromofluorocarbon each molecule of which contains one, two or three carbon atoms and at least one atom of bromine and one atom of fluorine.

Certificate - A certificate recognized by three or more provinces, or by the province in which the work of the service technician who holds the certificate is being done, indicating successful completion of an environmental awareness course in recycling, recovery and handling procedures of halocarbon refrigerants as outlined in the Refrigerant Code of Practice.

Certified person - In respect of a refrigeration system or an air-conditioning system, a service technician who holds a certificate.

Charging - Adding a halocarbon to a system (includes recharging or refilling).

Chiller - An air-conditioning system or refrigeration system that has a compressor, an evaporator and a secondary refrigerant.

Chlorofluorocarbon or CFC - A fully halogenated chlorofluorocarbon each molecule of which contains one, two or three carbon atoms and at least one atom of chlorine and one atom of fluorine.

CPM - Chief, Plant Maintenance at the institutional level.

CSC - Correctional Service of Canada.

FHR - Federal Halocarbon Regulations, 2003.

Halocarbon - A substance set out in Schedule 1, whether existing alone or in a mixture, and includes isomers of any such substance. Halocarbons consist of a group of ozone depleting substances (mainly CFCs, halons and HCFCs) largely used in refrigeration and air-conditioning systems, some fire extinguishing systems and solvent systems.

Hydrobromofluorocarbon or HBFC - A hydrobromofluorocarbon each molecule of which contains one, two or three carbon atoms and at least one atom of hydrogen, one atom of bromine and one atom of fluorine.

Hydrochlorofluorocarbon or HCFC - A hydrochlorofluorocarbon each molecule of which contains one, two or three carbon atoms and at least one atom of hydrogen, one atom of chlorine and one atom of fluorine.

Hydrofluorocarbon or HFC - A hydrofluorocarbon each molecule of which contains only carbon, hydrogen and fluorine atoms.

Installation - Does not include the reactivation of a system by the same owner at the same site.

Large system - A system containing halocarbons (CFCs, HCFCs, HFCs, blends, etc.) that has a refrigeration capacity over 19 kilowatts or 5.4 tons.

Leak - The release of a halocarbon from a system.

NHQ - National Headquarters of CSC.

ODS - Ozone depleting substances.

Overhaul - Includes the following procedures or repair with regard to a system containing a halocarbon listed in any of items 1 to 9 of Schedule 1:

1. the replacement or modification of an internal sealing device;
2. the replacement or modification of an internal mechanical part other than:
   1. an oil heater,
   2. an oil pump,
   3. a float assembly, or
   4. a vane assembly, in the case of a chiller with single-stage compressor; or
3. any procedure or repair that resulted from the failure of an evaporator or a condenser heat-exchanger tube.

Owner - To hold a right in or to have possession, control or custody of, to be responsible for the maintenance, operation or management of, or to have the power to dispose of a system.

Perfluorocarbon or PFC - A fully fluorinated fluorocarbon each molecule of which contains only carbon and fluorine atoms.

Phase-out plan - In respect of halocarbon management, a gradual replacement schedule for halocarbons listed in any of items 1 to 9 of Schedule 1, that is based on the age, condition and functional priority of the systems involved. To the extent possible, the replacement schedule should be implemented prior to the system failure or end of useful life.

Recovery - In respect of a halocarbon, recovery means:

1. collection after it has been used; or
2. collection from machinery, equipment, a system or a container during servicing or before dismantling, decommissioning or destruction of the machinery, equipment, system or container.

Reclamation - In respect of an halocarbon, the recovery, reprocessing and upgrading through processes such as filtering, drying, distilling and treating chemically in order to restore the halocarbon to industry-accepted reuse standards.

Recycling - In respect of a halocarbon, the recovery and, if needed, cleaning by a process such as filtering or drying, and reusing to charge a system.

Refrigerant Code of Practice - The Environmental Code of Practice for Elimination of Fluorocarbon Emissions from Refrigeration and Air-conditioning Systems, published by Environment Canada in March 1996, as amended from time to time.

Refrigeration system - A refrigeration system, as well as any associated equipment, that contains or is designed to contain a halocarbon refrigerant.

REO - Regional Environmental Officer in CSC.

RHQ - Regional Headquarters of CSC.

Service - Includes any modification, charging, maintenance, repair, moving, dismantling, decommissioning, destruction, start-up and testing of the system, but does not include testing related to the manufacture and production of the system.

Service log - In respect of halocarbon management, the institutional service log book or maintenance records of refrigeration or air-conditioning system(s) in which the information [see Schedule 6] concerning the work conducted on system(s) is entered as it is being done.

Small air-conditioning system - An air-conditioning system that is not contained in a motor vehicle and that has a refrigeration capacity of less than 19 kilowatts (5.4 tons) as rated by the manufacturer [see section 3.1 - Refrigerant Code of Practice].

Small refrigeration system - A refrigeration system, other than one that normally operates in, on or in conjunction with a means of transportation, that has a refrigeration capacity of less than 19 kilowatts (5.4 tons) as rated by the manufacturer [see section 3.1 - Refrigerant Code of Practice].

System - Unless the context requires otherwise, an air-conditioning system, a fire extinguishing system, a refrigeration system or a solvent system.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The Institutional Head, his or her assistants and the Corcan Operations Managers are accountable to ensure compliance with these Environmental Guidelines.

The Chief, Plant Maintenance (CPM) will normally be the person responsible for the implementation and the follow-up of these Environmental Guidelines so that the inventory and the management of the halocarbons are assured from a central point in the institution [see note in section 3, page 8].

The Chief, Plant Maintenance and his or her staff are responsible to inform all external contractors that are hired to work on institutional chillers, refrigeration and air-conditioning systems, so that they comply with the requirements set out in these Environmental Guidelines.

SCOPE

All Correctional Service of Canada facilities that manage, internally or through external contractors, chillers, refrigeration and/or air-conditioning systems containing halocarbons are submitted to these Environmental Guidelines.

Note: Following surveys and audits conducted across CSC, it was ascertained that CSC does not have any fire-extinguishing system that contain halons or that is designed to contain a halocarbon fire-extinguishing agent nor any solvent system containing a halocarbon solvent. Consequently, the current Environmental Guidelines (EG 318-4) do not deal with the regulatory requirements (Federal Halocarbon Regulations, 2003) addressing the management of halons used in fire-extinguishing systems or halocarbons in solvent systems. The EG 318-4 focus only on the requirements concerning refrigeration systems and air-conditioning systems functioning with a halocarbon refrigerant.

SECTION 2 - GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

PROHIBITIONS

1. No person shall release or allow or cause the release of a halocarbon that is contained in a refrigeration system, an air-conditioning system or any associated container or device [see section 2.9 - Refrigerant Code of Practice].

2. No person shall install a system or purchase new equipment that operates or is intended to operate with a halocarbon listed in any of items 1 to 9 of Schedule 1 (List of Halocarbons) unless authorized to do so by a permit issued under the FHR, 2003.

3. No person shall store, transport or purchase a halocarbon unless it is in a container designed and manufactured to be refilled and to contain that specific type of halocarbon.

4. No person shall charge an air-conditioning system that is designed for occupants in motor vehicles with a halocarbon listed in any of items 1 to 9 of Schedule 1 [see section 4 - Refrigerant Code of Practice].

5. No person shall charge a refrigeration or an air-conditioning system with a halocarbon listed in any of items 1 to 9 of Schedule 1.

Note: A system operating with a halocarbon listed in any of items 1 to 9 of Schedule 1 can be repaired and suitably modified to allow the use of alternative halocarbons (halocarbon listed in any items 10 to 12 of Schedule 1). In case of damage or malfunction, these systems shall be disposed of in compliance with applicable regulations. If a refrigeration or an air-conditioning system is leaking, the remaining halocarbons must be recovered. The system must be either retrofitted or decommissioned. It is normal practice to decommission a system that cannot be retrofitted cost-effectively.

6. Subject to paragraph 7 below, no person shall charge with a halocarbon listed in any items 1 to 9 of Schedule 1, a chiller that has undergone an overhaul (as defined in section 1).

7. From January 1, 2005 to December 31, 2009, an owner of a chiller referred to in paragraph 6 above, may charge the chiller with a halocarbon listed in any of items 1 to 9 of Schedule 1, but no person shall operate that chiller later than one year after the day on which it was charged, unless it no longer contains any halocarbon listed in any of those items. The owner of a chiller charged under these conditions shall provide written notice to the Minister (i.e. the appropriate regional division of Environment Canada) within 14 days after the chiller is charged, which notice shall contain the information set out in Schedule 2 (Notice of Charging of a Chiller that has Undergone an Overhaul with a Halocarbon Listed in any of Items 1 to 9 of Schedule 1). A copy of this notice shall also be submitted in the same delay to the Regional Environmental Officer and the Environmental Programs Section at CSC-NHQ.

8. Effective January 1, 2015, no person shall operate or permit the operation of any chiller that contains a halocarbon listed in any of items 1 to 9 of Schedule 1.

INVENTORY

9. Each institution shall keep an up-to-date inventory of all refrigeration and air-conditioning systems and chillers containing halocarbons that have a refrigeration capacity over 19 kilowatts or 5.4 tons. To the extent possible, the inventory should also include small refrigeration and air-conditioning systems.

10. The institutional inventory shall clarify and formalize the custody and maintenance arrangements for each system with a capacity over 19 kilowatts or 5.4 tons. Among other things, the inventory must uniquely identify and characterize each system, name its custodian, list the amount and type of halocarbon it contains, and describe its maintenance and inspection arrangements. For each of these systems, the inventory shall at least contain the information set out in Schedule 3 (Inventory Information for Chillers, Refrigeration and Air-conditioning Systems).

SECTION 3 - SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS

INSTALLATION, SERVICING, LEAK TESTING AND CHARGING

1. Only a certified person may install, service, leak test or charge a halocarbon to a refrigeration or an air-conditioning system or do any other work on the system that may result in the release of a halocarbon. A person who does any of the work referred above shall do it in accordance with the Refrigerant Code of Practice.

2. Any person who repairs or decommissions an apparatus that contains a halocarbon must be certified and properly equipped in case the procedure causes the halocarbon to be released. The certified person must be appropriately equipped when assigned to leak test, repair, or decommission the parts of any apparatus that contain halocarbons.

3. For each system with a capacity over 19 kilowatts or 5.4 tons, arrange for a certified person to conduct a leak test at least once every 12 months, of all the components of a refrigeration or an air-conditioning system that come into contact with a halocarbon, confirm that the system meets all current design criteria and that the installation is equipped with halocarbon leak sensors if required by regulation [see section 2.6.6 - Refrigerant Code of Practice].

4. A certified person who repairs and/or conducts a leak test on a refrigeration or an air-conditioning system shall place a permanent notice (label) on the system containing the information set out in Schedule 4 (Leak Test Notice for Refrigeration and Air-conditioning System). In addition:

1. No person shall remove this notice except to replace it with another such notice.
2. The owner shall keep a record of the information contained in the notice in the Refrigeration and Air-conditioning System Service Log [see section 2.7.4 - Refrigerant Code of Practice].

5. No person shall charge a refrigeration or air-conditioning system unless the system has been leak tested before charging and any leak has been repaired.

6. If a halocarbon leak is detected at any time, the assigned responsible person shall, through the service of a certified person:

1. immediately repair the leaking portion of the system; or
2. if repairs are not likely to be initiated within seven days, immediately isolate the leaking portion of the system and recover the halocarbons from the leaking portion of the system pending repair of the leak with respect to approved practices in this field.

RECOVERY

7. A certified person that installs, services, leak tests or charges a halocarbon to a refrigeration or an air-conditioning system, or that does any other work on any of those systems that may result in the release of a halocarbon, shall recover, into an appropriate container, any halocarbon that would otherwise be released during those procedures [see sections 2.10 and 3.5 - Refrigerant Code of Practice].

8. Before dismantling, decommissioning or disposing of any system, a person shall:

1. recover halocarbons into an appropriate container and dispose of as hazardous waste [see sections 2.9 and 3.4 to 3.8 - Refrigerant Code of Practice];
2. place a notice (label) on the system containing the information set out in Schedule 5 - Dismantling, Decommissioning or Destruction Notice for a System (note that no person shall remove this notice except to replace it with another such notice); and
3. once the decommissioning is completed, ensure that the dismantled system can never be reused.

9. In case of the dismantling, disposing or decommissioning of any system, a record of the information contained in this notice (label) shall be kept on site in the service log [see Schedule 6 - Refrigeration System and Air-conditioning System Service Log].

Note: At CSC, systems with a capacity over 19 kilowatts or 5.4 tons are often in the custody of responsibility centers like Food Services, Corcan, and Plant Maintenance, each of which may have a contract with a different external supplier to service its machines. It is suggested that the Maintenance Management System (MMS) operated by the Chief of Plant Maintenance (CPM) be used to issue a work order to record the test results of the inspections that are required by law for each system with a capacity over 19 kilowatts or 5.4 tons, whether or not it is in CPM custody. Additionally, it is suggested that each non-CPM custodian establish a procedure to ensure that the results of all other inspections and repairs to their systems are recorded in the MMS and in the service log.

REQUIREMENTS FOR SMALL SYSTEMS

10. When dismantling, disposing or decommissioning of equipment that contains a small system (i.e. with a refrigeration capacity of less than 19 kilowatts or 5.4 tons such as the one in a motor vehicle, refrigerator or water cooler), the parts of the apparatus that contain halocarbon must be decommissioned before disposal. However, when selling or transferring used equipment containing a small system that a new owner is expected to continue to operate, it is not necessary to decommission the small system unless it leaks while in CSC custody.

11. Arrange for a certified person to recover the halocarbons from any small system in which a halocarbon leak has been discovered, or which is being decommissioned (dismantled or disposed). In this situation, place a notice (label) on the small system containing the information set out in Schedule 5 (Dismantling, Decommissioning or Destruction Notice for a System). No person shall remove this notice except to replace it with another such notice. Record the information set out in Schedule 6 (Refrigeration System and Air-conditioning System Service Log) when a small system is purged.

PHASE-OUT OF HALOCARBONS LISTED IN ANY ITEMS 1 TO 9 OF SCHEDULE 1

12. According to the requirements set-out in section 2, paragraphs 5 to 7, as of January 1, 2005, the owners of refrigeration or air-conditioning systems containing a halocarbon listed in any of items 1 to 9 of Schedule 1 must develop and implement, no later than a year after the adoption of these Environmental Guidelines, a phase-out plan, i.e. a gradual replacement schedule for the halocarbons listed in any of items 1 to 9 of Schedule 1. The phase-out plan should be based on the age, condition and functional priority of the systems involved. The owners should consider that this replacement schedule could change or be advance in time in the event of a halocarbon leak from a system or if a system overhaul/repair becomes required.

13. According to the requirements set-out in section 2, paragraphs 8 and 9, a phase-out plan or retrofit schedule for chillers containing a halocarbon listed in any of items 1 to 9 of Schedule 1 must also be developed and implemented based on the chiller age, condition and functional priority of the targeted systems. The phase-out or retrofit of chillers will have to be implemented between 2005 and 2015 for no chiller may contain a halocarbon listed in any of items 1 to 9 of Schedule 1 beyond January 1, 2015.

SECTION 4 - DATA MANAGEMENT AND REPORTING

RECORDS

1. Whenever a refrigeration or air-conditioning system is decommissioned, a written record containing the information set out in Schedule 5 (Dismantling, Decommissioning or Destruction Notice for a System) shall be kept on site in the service log.

2. Whenever a refrigeration or air-conditioning system is installed, serviced, leak tested, repaired or charged, a written record containing the information set out in Schedule 6 (Refrigeration System and Air-conditioning System Service Log) shall be kept on site.

3. The institutional phase-out plan, i.e. the gradual replacement schedule, for refrigeration and air-conditioning systems containing a halocarbon listed in any of items 1 to 9 of Schedule 1 shall be kept on site and available at all time for review by RHQ and/or NHQ staff.

4. All the documents required in these Environmental Guidelines (in particular, records, service logs, reports, notices or other relevant documents) shall be kept on site in the form of a central register of halocarbons or integrated to the Environmental Information System (EIS), for a period of at least 10 years beginning on the date of their issuance [see section 2.11 - Refrigerant Code of Practice].

RELEASE REPORTS

5. In the event of an accidental release of 100 kg or more of any halocarbon, the following reports shall be submitted to:

• the appropriate Regional Division of Environment Canada (in priority),
• the Regional Environmental Officer (REO), and
• the Environmental Programs Section at CSC-National Headquarters (CSC-NHQ),

1. within 24 hours after the day on which the release is detected, a verbal or written report that indicates the type of halocarbon released and the type of system from which it was released;
2. within 14 days after the day on which the release is detected, a written report that indicates the information set out in Schedule 7 (Halocarbon Release Report).

6. If more than 10 kg but less than 100 kg of a halocarbon is released, written reports that contain the information set out in Schedule 7 (Halocarbon Release Report) shall be submitted twice a year (mid-July and mid-January) to the Regional Environmental Officer (REO). The REO will then forward these reports to the Environmental Programs Section at CSC-NHQ so that NHQ submits semi-annual corporate reports to the appropriate Regional Division of Environment Canada.

SECTION 5 - REFERENCES AND AWARENESS

1. For more information on issues related to halocarbons, refer to Environment Canada infonet site (Stratospheric Ozone home page) at: http://www.ec.gc.ca/ozone/.

2. For halocarbon regulations and compliance guides: http://www.ec.gc.ca/ozone/EN/regulations/index.cfm?intCat=1.

3. For Federal Halocarbon Regulations, 2003: http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/C-15.31/SOR-2003-289/68957.html.

4. For the Ozone-depleting Substances Regulations, 1998: http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/c-15.31/sor-99-7/text.html.

5. For the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999: http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/C-15.31/29338.html.

6. Environmental Code of Practice for Elimination of Fluorocarbon Emissions from Refrigeration and Air-conditioning Systems, Report EPS 1/RA/2, Environment Canada, March 1996. ISBN 0-660-95256-4. Cat. No. En49-26/1-2E.

7. Canada's Strategy to Accelerate the Phase-out of CFC and Halons Uses and to Dispose of the Surplus Stocks, CCME, May 2001: http://www.ec.gc.ca/ozone/EN/init/index.cfm?intCat=43.

Assistant Commissioner,
Corporate Services

Original signed by:
Louise Saint-Laurent

SCHEDULE 1

List of Halocarbons

Extract from Schedule 1 of the Federal Halocarbon Regulations, 2003

Note: As prescribed in the present document, the requirements affecting the items in the yellow shaded area are more restrictive because of the important ozone layer depletion potential of these halocarbons.

SCHEDULE 2

Notice¹ of Charging of a Chiller that has Undergone an Overhaul with a Halocarbon Listed in any of Items 1 to 9 of Schedule 1
(A notice or label is to be placed on the system and a copy in the service log.)

¹ Form CSC/SCC 1265-01B is available on the infonet

SCHEDULE 3

Inventory Information for Chillers, Refrigeration and Air-conditioning Systems

SCHEDULE 4

Leak Test Notice² for Refrigeration and Air-conditioning System
(A notice or label is to be placed on the system and a copy in the service log.)

² Form CSC/SCC 1265-01C is available on the infonet

SCHEDULE 5

Dismantling, Decommissioning or Destruction Notice³ for a System
(A notice or label is to be placed on the system and a copy in the service log.)

³ Form CSC/SCC 1265-01D is available on the infonet

SCHEDULE 6

Refrigeration System or Air-conditioning System Service Log⁴

⁴ Form CSC/SCC 1265-01E is available on the infonet

SCHEDULE 7

Halocarbon Release Report ⁵

⁵ Form CSC/SCC 1265-01A is available on the infonet

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