United States
Suppliers of Industrial Greenhouse Gases
-
Final Rule: Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases
Under the Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases (GHGs) rule, suppliers of industrial GHGs or
nitrous oxide (N2O) that meet the applicability requirements of the rule (see information sheet on General
Provisions) must report GHG emissions that would result from the release of each fluorinated GHG and
N2O that they produce, import, export, transform, or destroy. Suppliers of industrial GHGs are required
to collect data on their products ; calculate the GHG emissions associated with these products; and follow
the specified procedures for ensuring data quality, amending missing data, and meeting recordkeeping
and reporting requirements.
How Is This Source Category Defined?
Suppliers of industrial GHGs include:
» Facilities that produce fluorinated GHGs or N2O.
» Bulk importers of fluorinated GHGs or N2O, if the total combined imports of industrial GHGs
and carbon dioxide (CO2) exceed 25,000 tons of carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2e) per year.
» Bulk exporters of fluorinated GHGs or N2O, if the total combined exports of industrial GHGs and
CO2 exceed 25,000 tons CO2e per year.
Production of GHGs and N2O includes the following activities:
» Manufacture of fluorinated GHGs from any raw material or feedstock chemical.
» Manufacture of fluorinated GHGs for use in a process that will result in their transformation on
site or at another facility.
» Creation of a fluorinated GHG (with the exception of HFC-23) that is captured and shipped off
site for any reason, including destruction.
» Manufacture of N2O by thermally decomposing ammonium nitrate (NF^NOs).
Production of GHG and N2O excludes the following activities:
» Reuse or recycling of a fluorinated GHG or N2O.
» Creation of HFC-23 as a byproduct during the production of HCFC-22.
» Creation of byproducts that are released or destroyed at the production facility.
What GHGs Must Be Reported?
Suppliers of industrial GHGs must report the GHG emissions that would result from the complete release
of N2O and each fluorinated GHG produced, imported, exported, transformed, or destroyed during the
calendar year. Importers and exporters of CO2 must calculate and report annual GHG emissions of CO2
according to 40 CFR part 98, subpart PP.
How Must GHG Emissions Be Calculated?
Suppliers must determine annual GHG supply flows in metric tons as follows:
• The mass of each fluorinated GHG or N2O produced must be determined by measuring the mass
of each fluorinated GHG or N2O produced (i.e., gas coming out of the production process) and
subtracting the mass of each fluorinated GHG or N2O added to the process upstream (i.e., where
used GHGs are added back to the production process for reclamation).
40 CFR 98, subpart OO 1 EPA-430-F-09-015R
September 2009
-------
• The mass of each fluorinated GHG transformed must be determined by using the measured mass
of fluorinated GHG fed into the transformation process and the efficiency of the transformation
process (as indicated by yield calculations or quantities of unreacted fluorinated GHGs or N2O
permanently removed from the process and recovered, destroyed, or emitted).
• The mass of each fluorinated GHG destroyed must be determined by measuring and considering
the mass of fluorinated GHG fed into the destruction device and the destruction efficiency of the
destruction device.
A checklist for data that must be monitored is available at:
www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/downloads/checklists/suppliersindustrialghgs.pdf
What Information Must Be Reported?
In addition to the information required by the General Provisions at 40 CFR 98.3(c), each annual report
must include the following information for production facilities, importers, and exporters:
Production Facilities:
Production facilities must report the following information in metric tons by process for N2O and each
fluorinated GHG, as applicable:
• Mass produced, excluding mass shipped off site for destruction.
• Mass transformed on site.
• Mass destroyed on site, excluding mass removed from the production process as byproducts or
waste.
• Mass destroyed on site, including mass removed from the production process as byproducts or
waste.
• Mass sent to another facility for transformation.
• Mass sent to another facility for destruction, excluding mass removed from the production
process as byproducts or waste.
• Mass sent to another facility for destruction, including mass removed from the production process
as byproducts or waste.
• Mass of each reactant fed into the production process.
• Mass of reactants, byproducts, and other wastes permanently removed from the process.
• Mass fed into the transformation process, for transformation processes that do not produce
fluorinated GHGs orN2O.
• Mass fed into the destruction device.
• Mass measured coming out of the production process.
• Mass of used product added back into the production process (reclaimed).
• Name and address of each facility to which industrial GHGs are sent for transformation, and the
mass of N2O and each fluorinated GHG sent to each facility.
• Name and address of each facility to which industrial GHGs are sent for destruction, and the mass
of N2O and each fluorinated GHG sent to each facility.
• Where missing data have been estimated, the reason for missing data, the length of time the data
were missing, the method used to estimate the missing data, and the estimates of those data.
Production facilities must also submit by April 11, 2011, a one-time report describing:
• The methods by which the producer in practice measures the mass of fluorinated GHGs
produced, including the instrumentation used (e.g., Coriolis flowmeter, other flowmeter, weigh
scale) and its accuracy and precision.
• The methods by which the producer in practice estimates the mass of fluorinated GHGs fed into
the transformation process, including the instrumentation used (e.g., Coriolis flowmeter, other
flowmeter, weigh scale) and its accuracy and precision.
40 CFR 98, subpart OO 2 EPA-430-F-09-015R
September 2009
-------
• The methods by which the producer in practice estimates the fraction of fluorinated GHGs fed
into the transformation process that is actually transformed, and the estimated precision and
accuracy of this estimate.
• The methods by which the producer in practice estimates the masses of fluorinated GHGs fed into
the destruction device, including the methods used to estimate the concentration of the fluorinated
GHGs in the destroyed material, and the estimated precision and accuracy of this estimate.
• The estimated percent efficiency of each production process for the fluorinated GHG produced.
Production Facilities and Importers:
Production facilities and importers that destroy fluorinated GHGs must also submit a one-time report that
contains the following information level:
• Destruction efficiency (DE) of each destruction unit.
• Methods used to determine DE.
• Methods used to record the mass of fluorinated GHG destroyed.
• Chemical identity of the fluorinated GHGs used in the performance test conducted to determine
DE.
• Name of all federal or state regulations applicable to the destruction process.
• If any process changes are made affecting unit DE or the methods used to record the mass
destroyed, a revised report must be submitted within 60 days of the change.
Importers:
Bulk importers of fluorinated GHGs or N2O must submit an annual report at the corporate level. The
report must include the following information for each import (excluding shipments of less than 250
metric tons CO2e, transshipments, and heels):
• Mass in metric tons of each GHG or N2O imported in bulk.
• Mass in metric tons of each GHG or N2O that is sold or transferred to persons other than the
importer for use in processes resulting in the transformation or destruction of the chemical.
• Date imported.
• Port of entry.
• Country from which imported.
• Commodity code.
• Importer number for the shipment.
• Names and addresses of the persons and facilities to which GHGs or N2O were sold or transferred
for transformation and destruction.
• Mass in metric tons of each fluorinated GHG destroyed by the importer.
• Mass in metric tons of each GHG or N2O gas imported and sold or transferred for transformation.
• Mass in metric tons of each GHG or N2O gas imported and sold or transferred for destruction.
Exporters:
Bulk exporters of fluorinated GHGs or N2O must submit an annual report at the corporate level. The
report must include the following information for each export (excluding shipments of less than 250
metric tons CO2e, transshipments, and heels):
• Mass in metric tons of each GHG or N2O exported in bulk.
• Names and addresses of the exporter and recipient.
• Date exported.
• Port from which each GHG or N2O were exported from the United States or its territories.
• Countries to which each GHG or N2O were exported.
• Commodity code of each GHG or N2O exported.
• Exporter's Employee Identification Number.
40 CFR 98, subpart OO 3 EPA-430-F-09-015R
September 2009
-------
For More Information
This document is provided solely for informational purposes. It does not provide legal advice, have
legally binding effect, or expressly or implicitly create, expand, or limit any legal rights, obligations,
responsibilities, expectations, or benefits in regard to any person. The series of information sheets is
intended to assist reporting facilities/owners in understanding key provisions of the final rule.
Visit EPA's Web site (www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/ghgrulemaking.html') for more
information, including the final preamble and rule, additional information sheets on specific industries,
the schedule for training sessions, and other documents and tools. For questions that cannot be answered
through the Web site, please contact us at: ghgmrrigiepa.gov.
40 CFR 98, subpart OO 4 EPA-430-F-09-015R
September 2009
------- |