Day 011 - 12 Jul 94 - Page 76


     
     1        amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, were you
              speaking of its use as a blowing agent worldwide by
     2        anybody and everybody who might use it?
              A.  Yes.
     3
         Q.   You told us that pentane was a dangerous substance in that
     4        it was highly or very inflammable.  Is that right?
              A.  Yes.
     5
         Q.   Does the same apply to HCFC-22?
     6        A.  It is less flammable.  If it were not so, it could not
              be used as drop-in replacement, because if you had a leek
     7        from a refrigerator containing it the -----
 
     8   Q.   Can you repeat that?
              A.  One of the primary problems with the use of
     9        refrigeration equipment in the presence of compounds which
              are rapidly inflammable, is that if they escape the sparks
    10        produced by the electric motor at the back of a
              refrigerator can cause rapid ignition.  In fact, such
    11        problems have occurred in several university chemistry
              departments when very inflammable compounds have escaped
    12        but have been ignited by the sparks from refrigerators.
              Therefore, since almost all refrigeration equipment leeks
    13        slightly, were HCFC-22 to be, shall we say, very, very
              inflammable it would not be safe to use it with a
    14        refrigerator because if it escaped it would be ignited by
              the sparks from the electric motor.
    15
         Q.   A penultimate question, Professor Duxbury.  You were asked
    16        whether you thought that the rate of phase out for use of
              CFCs and HCFCs by McDonald's was, I do not know what the
    17        word would be, acceptable or admirable or what, and you
              replied you thought it was, I think.  Can I remind you
    18        what the figures are.  In 1989 McDonald's had restaurants
              in 51 countries worldwide.  By that date it was still
    19        using CFCs in five countries and HCFCs in 22.  In 1990 it
              had 53 countries, four of which still used CFCs and 21 of
    20        which used HCFCs.  By 1991 there were 59 countries, none
              of them used CFC-22; still used HCFCs.  By 1992 the figure
    21        for HCFCs was down to nine, and now it is down to partial
              use in two.  Do you wish to reflect upon your answer or
    22        are you happy with the one you gave earlier?
              A.  I am happy with the one I gave earlier.
    23
         Q.   Finally, if my Lord will forgive one frivolous question to
    24        end the day.  Suppose that fewer beef cattle were grown in
              the world, do you suppose that people would have to find
    25        alternative sources of food?
              A.  Yes, they would. 
    26 
         Q.   Do you suppose one of those sources might be rice? 
    27        A.  It is possible it might be.
 
    28   MR. RAMPTON:  Thank you, Professor Duxbury. My Lord, may he be
              released?
    29
         MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Yes.  I want to pin down the question of
    30        suspicion about CFC, if I can, because I am not sure how
              much it helps me that someone somewhere in the world,

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