Page last updated : 15/05/2008

Perfluorocarbons - PFCs

Source : CITEPA / CORALIE SECTEN format - last updated 28 February 2008

Survey period : since 1990

Comments

In 2006, PFC emissions represented 1 694 kt CO₂ equivalent (CO₂e). Emissions dropped since 1990 as they fell by almost 60%.

The manufacturing industry sector accounts for the entire PFC emissions.

The sectors contributing to PFC emissions are :

After having fallen sharply, between 1990 and 1996, as a result of improvements in the aluminium electrolysis process, PFC emissions have much fluctuated these last years due to the rise in production of aluminium coupled with a non-optimum control and with the development of the semiconductor industry. In 2000 and 2001 emission control in the aluminium industry has improved, resulting in a further reduction in emissions thus residual difficulties in 2002 and 2003.

The closing down of one industry of aluminium production resulted in a diminution of the emissions in 2004 with however a steady production. An improvement in efficiency at another aluminium industry has allowed to reduce moreover the emissions in 2005. PFC emissions in mass were steady between 2005 and 2006.

Compared to HFCs, the GWP of the PFCs emitted are in a narrower fork, from 6 500 to 9 200, whereas for HFCs, it is spread out from 140 to 11 700. The evolution in mass of the emissions is thus very similar to that in equivalent CO₂, more especially as the structure of the emissions in terms of chemical species does not evolve much. PFC emissions in mainland France in mass have evolved from 587 t in 1990 to 243 t in 2006, a fall of 59% approximately over this period.