Recoolit's Refrigerant Capture: Turning Air Conditioning Waste into Climate Action

In the sweltering basements of Jakarta, where air conditioning units hum relentlessly against Indonesia's rising temperatures, technicians like Ari Sobaruddin are waging a quiet war against one of climate change’s most overlooked threats. Armed with specialized equipment, Ari and his team at climate tech startup Recoolit spend grueling 12-hour shifts capturing refrigerant gases from aging AC systems. These hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) are up to 14,800 times more effective at trapping heat than carbon dioxide over a century, yet they’re often vented illegally during maintenance—accelerating global warming while regulators struggle to enforce bans. As Ari puts it: "I love this work because it’s about preserving nature. Every kilogram we recover is a victory."

The Invisible Climate Bomb

HFCs emerged as a “solution” to ozone-depleting CFCs phased out in the 1980s, but their climate impact is catastrophic. Found in 90% of global cooling systems, they’re projected to account for 7–19% of all greenhouse emissions by 2050 according to UN data. The problem intensifies in developing economies like Indonesia, where soaring temperatures and growing middle classes drive explosive demand for air conditioning. “It’s a growing problem because we need indoor spaces to be resilient to climate change," explains atmospheric chemist Robyn Schofield of the University of Melbourne. Yet without detection methods for the odorless gas, enforcement is nearly impossible—technicians often opt for cheap venting over costly capture.

Recoolit warehouse staff inventory refrigerant canisters destined for destruction—each cylinder prevents thousands of tons of CO2-equivalent emissions.

Recoolit’s Tech-Enabled Solution

Founded in 2021, Recoolit attacks this gap with a three-pronged approach: incentivizing technicians, verifying destruction, and monetizing impact. Technicians earn 50,000 rupiah ($3) per kilogram of recovered refrigerant—a critical premium in a country where monthly minimum wages hover around $200. The gases are then transported to government-certified facilities, like cement kilns, where high-temperature incineration breaks them down harmlessly. Verification is rigorous: samples undergo lab analysis in Malaysia, and destruction sites must pass “trial burn tests.” “Recycling sounds ideal, but who guarantees the refrigerant won’t leak again?” challenges Recoolit’s Yosaka Eka Putranta. "Destruction is permanent."

Carbon Credits and Corporate Backing

Recoolit funds operations by selling carbon credits at $75 per ton of CO2-equivalent prevented, using a methodology developed by Yale’s Carbon Containment Lab. While carbon markets face scrutiny—critics like Carbon Market Watch’s Benja Faecks warn offsets let polluters “claim neutrality without reducing emissions”—Recoolit argues its model is robust because it destroys measurable pollutants. This attracted Google, which partnered with Recoolit in 2025 to prevent 1 million tons of emissions, aiming to scale the startup beyond Indonesia. “We’re proving refrigerant capture isn’t just ethical—it’s investable," says senior manager Erik Cahyanta.

Technicians extract HFCs from an AC unit—Recoolit’s fieldwork prevents “super-pollutants” from leaking during maintenance.

Why This Matters for Tech and Climate

Recoolit’s work underscores a harsh reality: climate solutions must address legacy tech. As global cooling demand surges, HFCs represent a systemic vulnerability in our infrastructure—one where policy alone fails without execution. For developers and climate tech innovators, it’s a blueprint for bridging enforcement gaps through traceable, incentive-driven models. Schofield puts it starkly: "As climate action, refrigerant capture is profoundly effective. We need more of it—now." In basements worldwide, the race to turn waste into worth has only just begun.

Source: Japan Times, AFP-JIJI