Study on environmental and health effects of HFO refrigerants (Publication number: M-917|2017) Report prepared for the Norwegian Environment Agency 22 December 2017 Study on environmental and health effects of HFO refrigerants Final Report RPA Report – Assured quality Project reference / title J972 / NEA HFO refrigerants Report status Final report David Fleet Dr James Hanlon Authors Dr Kate Osborne Max La Vedrine Paul Ashford (Anthesis-Caleb) Approved for issue by Meg Postle Date of issue 22 December 2017 Disclaimer The views and propositions expressed herein are, unless otherwise stated, those of Risk & Policy Analysts and do not necessarily represent any official view of the Norwegian Environment Agency or any other organisation mentioned in this report. List of abbreviations A2L Mildly flammable refrigerants category A5; non-A5 Article 5 Developing countries; non-Article 5 Developed countries BAU Business As Usual Cefic European Chemical Industry Council CF3C(O)H Trifluoroacetaldehyde - CF3COO Trifluoroacetate CFC Chlorofluorocarbon CLP Classification, Labelling and Packaging CMR Carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic to reproduction CO2 Carbon dioxide COF2 Carbonyl fluoride CSR Chemical Safety Report EC10 10% effective concentration (the concentration that causes the measured effect in 10% of organisms) EC25 25% effective concentration (the concentration that causes the measured effect in 25% of organisms) EC50 Half maximum response dose (the concentration that causes the measured effect in 50% of organisms) ECHA European Chemicals Agency EEAP Environmental Effects Assessment Panel EUSES European Union System for the Evaluation of Substances GWP Global Warming Potential HC(O)Cl Formyl chloride HC(O)F Formyl fluoride HC(O)OH Formic acid HCFC Hydrochlorofluorocarbon HCFO Hydrochlorofluoroolefin HCHO Formaldehyde HCl Hydrochloric acid HF Hydrofluoric acid, hydrogen fluoride HFC Hydrofluorocarbon HFO Hydrofluoroolefin LC50 Lethal concentration for 50% of the population LOAEL Local Observed Adverse Effect Level MAC Mobile Air Conditioning MAK Maximum Concentration at the Workplace MIT-5 Mitigation 5 MoE Margin of Exposure MOS Margin Of Safety NO Nitric oxide NO3 Nitrate radical NOAEL No Observed Adverse Effect Level NOEC No Observed Effect Concentration NOEL No Observed Effect Level O3 Ozone ODS Ozone-depleting substance OECD Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development OEL Occupational exposure level OH Hydroxyl radical PEC Predicted Environmental Concentration PNEC Predicted No-Effect Concentration PPE Personal Protection Equipment ppm Parts per million ppt Parts per trillion QSAR Quantitative Structure Activity Relationship RAC Refrigeration & Air Conditioning RACHP Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heat Pumps RCR Risk Characterisation Ratio REACH Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals SDS Safety Data Sheet SNAP Significant New Alternatives Policy STP Sewage Treatment Plan TEAP Technology and Economic Assessment Panel TFA Trifluoroacetic acid, CF3C(O)OH TFF Trifluoroacetyl fluoride, CF3COF TSCA Toxic Substances Control Act TWA Time-weighted average UNEP United Nations Environment Programme US EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency WMO World Meteorological Organization Table of contents Summary ................................................................................................................................... 12 1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 1 Background ..................................................................................................................................... 1 Objectives of the study ................................................................................................................... 1 Aims and structure of this report.................................................................................................... 1 2 Methodology ........................................................................................................................ 3 Overview of the methodology ........................................................................................................ 3 Task 1: Grey literature..................................................................................................................... 3 Task 2: Academic literature ............................................................................................................ 3 Task 3: Selection of relevance and data extraction- DistillerSR® .................................................... 4 2.4.1 Screening of the literature .............................................................................................. 4 2.4.2 Data extraction................................................................................................................ 4 2.4.3 Literature review outputs ............................................................................................... 4 Task 4: Consultation ........................................................................................................................ 4 Task 5: Assessing HFO projections ................................................................................................. 4 2.6.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................... 4 Task 6: Risk assessment for HFOs ................................................................................................... 5 2.7.1 VEGA ............................................................................................................................... 5 2.7.2 EUSES .............................................................................................................................. 5 3 Substance information .......................................................................................................... 6 Overview of HFOs and HFO blends currently used/likely to be used as refrigerants ..................... 6 HFO substances that are used/likely to be used as refrigerants .................................................... 7 3.2.1 HFO only refrigerants ...................................................................................................... 7 3.2.2 HFO blends .................................................................................................................... 12 HFO impurities .............................................................................................................................. 13 4 HFO emissions estimates - projected up to 2100 .................................................................. 15 Overview ....................................................................................................................................... 15 Projected emissions ...................................................................................................................... 15 4.2.1 Output from BAU scenarios up to 2050 ........................................................................ 16 4.2.2 Output from MIT-5 scenarios up to 2050 ..................................................................... 18 4.2.3 Discussion/comparison of the results from BAU and MIT-5 scenario up to 2050 ........ 21 The impact of ‘natural’ refrigerants on HFO consumption ........................................................... 22 5 Chemical processes and degradation products .................................................................... 24 Chemical processes ....................................................................................................................... 24 5.1.1 Atmospheric dispersion and degradation mechanisms ................................................ 24 Degradation products ................................................................................................................... 25 5.2.1 TFA ................................................................................................................................ 26 6 Environmental impacts ....................................................................................................... 29 Environmental compartments where TFA is found ...................................................................... 29 6.1.1 TFA in surface waters .................................................................................................... 29 6.1.2 TFA in soils ..................................................................................................................... 30 6.1.3 Terminal sinks and hotspots ......................................................................................... 30 Environmental effects of TFA ........................................................................................................ 32 6.2.1 Concentrations of TFA in the environment .................................................................. 32 6.2.2 Toxicity of TFA .............................................................................................................. 34 Environmental effects of other decomposition products ............................................................ 41 7 Human health impacts ........................................................................................................ 43 Hazards to human health .............................................................................................................