The Twenty-seventh Meeting of the Executive Committee decided to request the Secretariat, in coordination with the Implementing Agencies and other experts, to develop guidelines on the approach to be applied in the consideration of projects for approval under the sterilants subsector.
(UNEP/OzL.Pro/ExCom/27/48, Decision 27/12(b), para. 34(b)).
The Twenty-eighth Meeting of the Executive Committee decided to adopt the following initial guidelines for projects in the sterilants sector:
(a) project proposals should be consistent with all the policies and decisions of the Executive Committee, especially those relating to facilities established after 25 July 1995, and to exports.
(b) to avoid confusion between the sterilants and solvents sectors, a sector profile should be prepared when a country has more than one enterprise involved in sterilization activities.
(c) the choice of technology should be fully explained. In particular, noting the requirement for cost-effective solutions consistent with national industrial strategies, an outline cost comparison between the principal technological options should be provided. Where a solution involving the use of HCFCs is proposed, it should be fully consistent with all decisions relating to the use of HCFCs.
(d) standards for safety. The project should be designed to appropriate norms consistent with industry-recognized national or international standards, for instance the US National Fire Protection Association standard NFPA 560 “Standard for the Storage, Handling and Use of Ethylene Oxide for Sterilization and Fumigation” and the electrical installation standard “NEC Class 1, Division 2, Group B or C” or the equivalent classification in the international IEC codes.
(e) technological upgrade and non-eligible costs. Noting the changes to plant layout likely in some of these projects and the installation of computer-operated equipment, proposals should include detailed description of the baseline, and separate costs directly associated with phase-out of ozone-depleting substances from those related to factory improvements, which are not eligible for funding. Incremental costs proposed should be fully consistent with relevant Executive Committee decisions concerning technological upgrade.
(f) to facilitate the establishment of consumption data, information on the level of business of the enterprise and of annual consumption of ozone-depleting substances should, wherever possible, be provided for a minimum of three years prior to the preparation of the project. Where such data were not provided, an explanation should be given of why data for a three-year period could not be made available.
(g) the operating costs should be calculated for a duration of three years. The operating costs for each of the alternative sterilants EO/HCFC, EO/CO2 and 100% EO should be considered in the choice of technology for each project. An outline calculation of comparative IOC/savings should be included in the project document in support of the choice of technology.
(h) these initial guidelines will be considered for review after sufficient projects in this sector have been considered, to enable general conclusions on costs to be drawn. The review will include consideration of a cost effectiveness threshold.
(i) pending a review, the cost-effectiveness of project proposals will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
(UNEP/OzL.Pro/ExCom/28/57, Decision 28/45, para. 77).
(Supporting document: UNEP/OzL.Pro/ExCom/28/48).