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Decision XXVIII/6: Essential-use exemption for laboratory and analytical uses for 2017 in China

Noting with appreciation the work done by the Technology and Economic Assessment Panel and its Medical and Chemicals Technical Options Committee,

Recalling decision XI/15, by which the parties, among other things, eliminated the use of ozone‑depleting substances for the testing of oil, grease and total petroleum hydrocarbons in water from the global exemption for laboratory and analytical uses,

Recalling also decision XXIII/6, by which parties operating under paragraph 1 of Article 5 of the Montreal Protocol were allowed until 31 December 2014 to deviate from the existing ban on the use of carbon tetrachloride for the testing of oil, grease and total petroleum hydrocarbons in water in individual cases where such parties considered doing so to be justified, and in which it was clarified that any deviation beyond that should take place only in accordance with an essential-use exemption in respect of the use of carbon tetrachloride for the testing of oil, grease and total petroleum hydrocarbons in water beyond 2014,

Noting that China has reported difficulty in implementing existing alternatives to the use of carbon tetrachloride for the testing of oil, grease and total petroleum hydrocarbons in water and has indicated that it needs more time for the revision and promotion of national standards, and noting also that the party is taking necessary measures to implement the alternatives and has expressed a willingness to continue doing so,

  1. To encourage China, which has applied for an essential-use exemption for the use of carbon tetrachloride for the testing of oil, grease and total petroleum hydrocarbons in water, to complete the revision of its relevant national standard and to ensure that a revised national standard is brought into force as soon as possible with a view to ensuring a smooth transition to a method that does not use ozone‑depleting substances;
  2. To request that China, prior to submitting any further requests for essential-use exemptions for the use of ozone‑depleting substances for the testing of oil, grease and total petroleum hydrocarbons in water, provide information on its evaluation of the use of other international analytical methods for such testing, on the national circumstances that make using them difficult and on progress in the development of its own method and in the revision of the relevant national standard, as well as a timeline for the phase-out of carbon tetrachloride for laboratory and analytical uses, indicating the anticipated steps and dates in that process;
  3. To authorize the level of consumption for China for 2017 necessary to satisfy essential uses of carbon tetrachloride for the testing of oil, grease and total petroleum hydrocarbons in water, as specified in the annex to the present decision;

Annex to decision XXVIII/6

Essential-use authorization for 2017 for carbon tetrachloride for the testing of oil, grease and total petroleum hydrocarbons in water

            (Metric tonnes)

Party

2017

China

 65