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Australian not-for-profit Refrigerant Reclaim Australia (RRA) has prevented the equivalent of over 10 earth-sized balloons of carbon dioxide from being released into the atmosphere since its inception in 1993.

RRA general manager, Kylie Farrelley, said Australia is a world leader in recovering, reclaiming and destroying surplus and unwanted refrigerants.

“We’ve essentially taken 3,000,000 cars off the road, or offset the emissions of 1,000,000 households,” she said.

“We are extremely proud of this achievement and congratulate our industry on all the work that has been done. Thanks to the efforts of the global refrigeration and air-conditioning community, the ozone layer has continued to recover. It is predicted that the Antarctic ozone hole will have healed by 2060, reducing harmful UV radiation."

Farrelley said this is a direct result of phasing out chlorofluorocarbons and the diligence of the industry to ensure the recovery and destruction of contaminated and unwanted refrigerants.

"This is something our industry should be very proud of. However, the rate of recovery effectiveness in Australia is estimated at 49%, meaning that there is still much that could be done to further reduce global warming emissions," she said.

"The onus of recovery rests on contractors to return  refrigerants for destruction, and it is apparent not everyone is aware of or complies with the legislation. Due to this, substantial quantities of high global warming potential refrigerants still escape.

“Refrigeration and air conditioning technologies have a presence in nearly every part of modern-day life. They are in the cars we drive, help to preserve our food, and keep our offices and homes comfortable.

"They even keep blood fresh for transfusions and allow the manufacture of pharmaceuticals; their presence is ubiquitous. You can imagine the number of used or no longer required systems that end up in landfill, releasing harmful gases that contribute to ozone depletion and climate change.”