For Immediate Release	Contact: Dave Stirpe
September 25, 2001	Phone: (703) 243-0344

        The Alliance for Responsible Atmospheric Policy (Alliance), an industry coalition, has announced the release of 14 documents demonstrating that hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) are a viable and proven solution to ozone depletion and global climate change - problems addressed by the Montreal and Kyoto Protocols.

        "HFCs are energy efficient, cost-effective, and can be used safely. Governments and industry support their global use in applications which meet important environmental and societal needs, including metered dose inhalers, insulation, refrigeration and air conditioning, technical aerosols, solvents, and fire extinguishers," said Dave Stirpe, Alliance Executive Director.

        The series of documents, entitled, "Fluorocarbons: Balanced Solutions for Society" details the environmental benefits and qualities of HFCs. For example, various analyses indicate that HFCs reduce energy consumption in many applications. In fact, the substitution of HFCs for ozone-depleting CFCs has reduced the greenhouse emissions impact substantially because CFCs were a more potent greenhouse gas. Developing countries can obtain similar results with early substitution to HFCs.

        The documents address commercial air conditioning, residential air conditioning, vehicle air conditioning, foam insulation, solvents, commercial refrigeration, transport refrigeration, metered dose inhalers, aerosols, fire protection, and the production of HFCs. Individual documents or the full series are available from the Alliance or can be downloaded from the Alliance website at www.arap.org.

        Translations were completed for several documents in French and Spanish. Soon the Alliance will complete more documents, including domestic refrigeration, recovery and recycling, and responsible use principles for HFCs.

        The Alliance is an industry coalition that was organized in 1980 to address stratospheric ozone depletion. It is presently composed of about 200 manufacturers and businesses which rely on CFCs, HCFCs, and HFCs. Today, the Alliance is a leading industry voice that coordinates industry participation in the development of reasonable international and U.S. government policies regarding ozone protection and climate change.