Greenhouse Gas (GHG) tracking and reporting will soon
become mandatory in the United States, with the first
reports due in early 2011 for the emissions data collected
for the 2010 calendar year. The proposed federal law
affects businesses and governments with heating,
ventilation and air conditioning systems or refrigeration
and air-conditioning systems, as well as those who produce
industrial chemicals, fossil fuels, cars and engines, and
any organization consuming electricity. It is the
responsibility of companies to review and comply with the
new EPA GHG regulations or face substantial fines down the
road.
Greenhouse Gas tracking is outlined in The Climate Registry
Protocol, which details the requirements for mandatory
monitoring and tracking. The fundamental ideas stimulating
GHG reporting are part of the U.S. Clean Air Act, aimed at
improving air quality and lowering greenhouse gas emissions.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposes
mandatory reporting of the gases contributing to global
climate change from about 13,000 facilities nationwide.
These facilities account for the majority of greenhouse gas
emissions within the United States and present a logical
starting point for emissions reductions in the US. The
regulation would cover companies that either release large
amounts of greenhouse gases (GHG) directly or produce or
import fuels and chemicals that when burned emit large
amounts of carbon (CO2) gases.
One of the major focuses of the Greenhouse Gas tracking
protocol is refrigerant gases used in refrigeration and
cooling systems by numerous facilities, including
manufacturers, food processors, retailers, grocery stores,
office buildings, municipalities and hospitals, just to
name a few. Because of their chemical makeup, refrigerant
gases contain significant levels of carbon in the form of
chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydrochlorofluorocarbons
(HCFCs) and perfluorocarbons (PFCs). Use of these compounds
has been regulated under the U.S. Clean Air Act for several
years.
Greenhouse gases absorb and release radiation into the
atmosphere, setting off a global warming effect on earth.
The purpose of Greenhouse Gas tracking is to pinpoint the
main origins of greenhouse gases and monitor the amount
discharged into the atmosphere. This provides environmental
officials with a base line in which to measure all future
usage and evaluate progress. With this accurate
information, it can be determined if the guidelines are
effective in lowering the harmful effects of these
substances to the ozone layer.
Greenhouse Gas tracking involves measuring direct and
indirect emissions and keeping extensive records on its
usage, maintenance, leak containment and disposal. Heating
and cooling systems, as well as other energy consumption,
are defined as direct emissions.
Greenhouse Gas tracking was among the major goals of the
Obama administration as the United States aims to protect
the future of the environment by reducing the carbon
footprint of today. By taking no action, the earth's makeup
would significantly change, with humans and animals
adversely affected and marine and plant life severely
damaged.
Greenhouse Gas tracking will become law because it was
determined that certain manmade compounds contribute
substantially to global warming. The substances are carbon
dioxide, chlorine, bromine, nitrous oxide,
chloroflurocarbons, hydrofluorocarbons, methane, methyl
bromide, methyl chloroform, sulfur hexafluoride, hydroxyl,
perfluorocarbobs, halons, carbon tetrachloride, fluorine,
and the fluorinated gases hydrofluorinated ethers and
nitrogen trifluoride. The mandatory law is aimed at
reducing the use of these substances to lower the effects
of global warming.
Although Greenhouse Gas tracking was optional for large
emitters in the United States, it becomes mandatory in 2010
with the regulation requiring companies and municipalities
to submit exact information on how much of the global
warming substances they use everyday and if any leaks
occurred. The requirements are so extensive that vendors
who are knowledgeable in the area have developed software
programs and web-based applications to assist companies in
complying with the law across distributed facilities down
to the individual asset level.
----------------------------------------------------
Daniel Stouffer, Product Manager at Verisae, has much more
detail on the importance of carbon emission management,
tracking, and reporting. Refrigerant Tracker makes it easy
to monitor, manage, and report refrigerant gas usage across
multiple locations. Learn more at:
http://www.Refrigerant-Tracker.com
EasyPublish this article: http://submityourarticle.com/articles/easypublish.php?art_id=54167
0 comments
Post a Comment