Chemours fined over powerful greenhouse gas emissions

The chemical company Chemours in Dordrecht has been issued a fine worth 1 million euros for repeatedly breaking the rules for the powerful greenhouse gases called F-gas. One kilogram of the HFC-23 variant has the same warming effect in the atmosphere as 14,800 kilograms of CO2.

The usage of the gas is being phased out by the European Union, due to its negative contribution to climate change. Companies have to stick to the quota set by the EU, which is dropping gradually.

According to the Health and Youth Care Inspectorate (ILT), Chemours released more HFC-23 on the market than permitted. The company had told the European Commission that the gas had been imported so that it could be destroyed. This would mean that it did not count as a part of the quota. “An investigation by the ILT proved that Chemours was using the HFC-23 in the production process.”

The Inspectorate has said that they feel the company now has “good intentions,” but more fines will follow if the company continues to break the rules.

Chemours said that the fine was “unfortunate,” and did not rule out an appeal. The company called it an “administrative difference in opinion” with the ILT and maintained that the F-gas in question should not be included in the quota.

The company, which is a spin-off of the American company Dupont, added that it is striving to “minimize and eliminate the F-gas emissions” and the gas in question did not end up in the environment. The company claims to have acted in a "completely transparent" manner.