The structure of CFC use in Western Europe is different from that in the USA and Japan, with the highest percentage use of CFCs in Europe in aerosols. The use of CFCs in automotive air conditioning in the EEC is much less than elsewhere and this, together with the fact that R-12 and R-22 already have similar market shares, means that the refrigeration industry in Western Europe will not be as greatly affected by CFC reduction as elsewhere. More stringent reduction programmes than those imposed by the Montreal Protocol are in force in most Western European countries, to some extent due to consumer and environmental pressure group influences. Some countries, especially in Scandinavia, are introducing additional legislation to restrict CFC use. The strongest stand has been taken by the Federal Republic of Germany, which requires a 95% reduction in CFC use by 1995, with a voluntary ban from 1992. This paper discusses in detail European research programmes into CFC replacements. Many projects have been proposed, including work on refrigerants [fundamentals (four projects), thermophysical properties (18 projects) and lubricants and materials (five projects)] and cycles and components (17 projects). © 1990.
