AHAM to Receive Award for Ozone Protection Efforts Mar 16, 2005

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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has selected the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) to receive the 2005 Stratospheric Ozone Protection Award, for AHAM's efforts related to promotion of responsible handling of fluorocarbons, and related research into ozone friendly refrigerants and foam blowing agents. The award will be presented to AHAM at the 2005 Stratospheric Ozone Protection Awards Dinner on May 4, 2005 in Washington, D.C., U.S.

AHAM has supported the transition of refrigerator-freezers using CFC refrigerants and foam-blowing agents to HFC chemicals, which do not deplete the ozone layer. AHAM has also proactively created programs and training manuals to educate and certify appliance service and disposal technicians in the responsible handling of fluorocarbons.

AHAM's ongoing input to these programs ensures that the training manuals and test questions accurately reflect current regulations, best practices, and atmospheric science. Further, AHAM created the Appliance Research Consortium (ARC) to share data on possible substitutes for refrigerant and foam applications and recruited participation of all U.S. refrigerator-freezer manufacturers, EPA, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), national energy laboratories and chemical, foam and plastics suppliers. ARC also completed a detailed hazard analysis and legal study of the implications of using flammable refrigerants in the U.S.

ARC continues to promote responsible use of HFCs and is evaluating the emissions of foam-blowing agents used in refrigerator-freezer polyurethane insulation.

Award nominations were evaluated by EPA staff and judged by an international panel representing industry, government, and international non-governmental organizations.

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