APPENDIX A: GREENFREEZE INFORMATION UPDATE

There are approximately 10 million Greenfreeze based refrigerators in the world today. With an annual global refrigerator production of 65 million, Greenfreeze is less than 10% of the production volume. It is nevertheless expanding. It is evident that Greenfreeze is by far a preferable product, especially for developing countries. HFC based refrigerators face large problems in servicing, as HFC 134-a needs synthetic ester oil as lubricant, and this oil is very sensitive to contamination by water vapour and other impurities.

Worldwide, of all the conversion projects approved under the Multilateral Fund up to June 1996, out of a total of 8,070,800 refrigerator units, 5,884,400 will have hydrocarbon (cyclopentane) as blowing agent for the insulation, and 2,186, 400 will be using HCFC 141-b.

Projected share of the market for hydrocarbon refrigerants in Western / Northern Europe is 80% by 1997, up from 40% in 1995. HFC 134-a is expected to have 20% of the market in 1997, down from 50% in 1995.

Besides Europe, interest in Greenfreeze has been expressed in Argentina, Cuba, China, Taiwan, and India. Some Japanese companies have converted to hydrocarbons for insulation foam blowing, but none have yet selected hydrocarbons for the refrigerant.

There is no Greenfreeze in North America (US and Canada) yet, although consumers are beginning to ask for it. All the North American manufacturers have switched from CFCs to HCFC and HFCs.