Study on the environmentally sound treatment of CFC- and KW-containing boilers / hot water tanks

Basic information on hot water tanks / boilers have been compiled in a literature and internet research. The different types of devices have been listed and the devices have been described with technology, composition, etc. All data, which are important for the later disposal, have been collected for the different device types, in particular the material composition of the devices, the kind of the isolation (above all the portion of FCKW/KW-Schäumen) and the service life of the devices. For the different types of appliances, important manufacturers and their respective market shares have been named. For Germany and selected countries in Europe the annual quantity flows have been calculated, both numbers of units and total masses and masses of the important fractions (especially CFCs/CFCs) in t/a. RAL supported the research by arranging contacts to companies which already dispose of such hot water tanks, e.g. companies in Greece and Switzerland. The literature research has been be supplemented by interviews (by telephone and/or on site) with key players (manufacturers, trade, disposal companies, operators of treatment plants). Based on the results from the aforementioned section, information on current disposal routes for the various types of equipment has been researched. Using a simple traffic light system, an ecological assessment of the current disposal routes has been made on the basis of the regulatory requirements.