Page last updated : 15/06/2009

Perfluorocarbons - PFCs

Source : CITEPA / CORALIE SECTEN format - last updated 18 February 2009

Survey period : since 1990

Comments

In 2007, PFC emissions represented 920 kt CO₂ equivalent (CO₂e). Emissions dropped since 1990 as they fell by almost 78%.

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.

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 127 t in 2007, a fall of 78% approximately over this period.

More reduction of emissions could appear. In the coming years, the semiconductor industry has undertaken to reduce its emissions (-10% between 1995 and 2010) in spite of growth in this sector. In addition, the aluminium industry will also continue its efforts to optimise processes.