Hudson backs US Kigali vow
A leading US refrigerant services provider has backed indications that the USA will join the global HFC phase-down by signing the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol.
Kevin J Zugibe, chairman and CEO of Hudson Technologies, reaffirmed his company’s support for the Kigali Amendment, and has called on the US to join the countries who have already ratified.
The Kigali Amendment is an agreement reached at the October 2016 Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol by the approximately 200 signatory countries to amend the Montreal Protocol to provide for the phase down of HFCs.
“The ratification of the Kigali Amendment by the required 20 countries is a significant step in the global effort to address HFC emissions. The next step is working toward ratification in the United States,” said Kevin J Zugibe.
Speaking at last week’s 29th Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol, Judith Garber, the principal deputy assistant secretary, at the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, confirmed that the US supported the Kigali Amendment and had started the procedures necessary to ratify.
Praising Garber’s statement, Zugibe said: “Hudson has long been an advocate of the orderly phase out of virgin HFC production and the development of efficient, next generation, climate and ozone friendly technologies and refrigerants. We believe that a strong refrigerant reclamation program is essential to effective refrigerant management and will assist in the facilitation and acceleration of the HFC phase down.”