Hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) management framework for low carbon industrial facilities : milk processing industry in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Milk processing industry consumes hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) at a great extent. Emission of HFC distresses the food security, water security and the future of healthy living beings. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to propose strategies to improve the HFC management practices in Sri Lankan milk processing industry. Case study method was involved under qualitative phenomenon. Thus, three case studies were selected based on the HFC handling process. Nine milk processing agencies representing three importers and distributors, three milk processors and three service providers were selected to collect the data. Case analysis technique was used for data analysis. Findings revealed that, lack of institutional and national level procedures, unstable governmental policies, and lack of technology have increased the unhealthy handling of HFC in milk processing industry in Sri Lanka. Initiating a national level mechanism for governing HFC importers and service providers, empowering inventers for creating sustainable applications over HFC use and improving awareness were identified as key strategies to eliminate the identified issues under organisational and national level. Accordingly, a framework was proposed, which provides a platform to investigate the status of HFC handling procedure of milk processing industry in Sri Lanka. Since there is a lack of national level concern on managing HFC use in milk processing industry, having a formal framework at national level to govern both national and institutional level procedures was determined as a vital step forward to be considered.