ATMOsphere, publisher of NaturalRefrigerants.com, has announced that it will host a side event dedicated to driving climate action with PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances)-free cooling and heating technology during the 47th meeting of the Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) of the Parties in Bangkok.
The event will be held July 10 from 6 pm to 8 pm ICT and will take place in the United Nations Conference Centre’s Asia Pacific Foyer; the 47th OEWG will be held from July 7–11 in Bangkok. The side event is being organized in collaboration with the Coalition for PFAS-Free Cooling & Heating and will provide an overview of PFAS-free heating and cooling technologies and the latest advances in the sector. It will also highlight the most recent research on HFOs and TFA (trifluoroacetic acid), a PFAS that can be formed through the atmospheric degradation of some f-gases, including HFO-1234yf.
Speakers from ATMOsphere, the Coalition for PFAS-Free Cooling & Heating and the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) will present. More information on the event can be found here.
The program
The event will include individual presentations along with a panel discussion and Q&A. Dr. Joanna Sparks, a Climate Campaigner at the EIA, will present the organization’s latest report on HFOs. Jan Dusek, COO of ATMOsphere, will share key findings from the company’s “Natural Refrigerants: State of the Industry 2024” report on commercial and industrial refrigeration.
Cinzia Verzeletti, a spokesperson for the Coalition for PFAS-Free Cooling & Heating, will provide an update on the universal PFAS restriction proposal currently being considered by the European Chemicals Agency and its potential impact on the HVAC&R industry. Marc Chasserot, CEO of ATMOsphere, will share the latest insights from the ATMO guide to TFA, which will be published soon.
Setting the agenda
The OEWG was established in the wake of the Montreal Protocol, with parties to the Protocol (signatory countries) meeting at least once a year to discuss the latest research, implementation issues and possible adjustments and amendments. The event is also open to members of industry, nongovernmental organizations and academics. PFAS was previously on the agenda at the 45th OEWG where a panel discussion focused on the problems posed by PFAS refrigerants and TFA.
The 47th OEWG will cover a range of topics, including life-cycle refrigerant management, how to enhance regional atmospheric monitoring of controlled substances and the use of controlled f-gases as feedstocks. The event will help set the agenda for the 37th Meeting of the Parties, which will be held in Nairobi, Kenya, from November 3–7.
