Refrigerant and ODS destruction projects are an emissions-reduction project type within the waste & methane segment of the carbon market. They are designed to destroy ozone-depleting substances and other high-GWP refrigerants. The carbon benefit comes from avoided emissions from destruction of high-GWP gases that would otherwise be released. Common project configurations include ODS destruction; reclaimed HFCs; refrigerant recovery and destruction.

Because many refrigerants and ozone-depleting substances have very high global warming potential, destruction can yield large climate benefits per unit handled. Many of these pathways focus on methane or other potent non-CO2 gases, so they can have strong near-term climate significance; at the same time, the integrity of baseline assumptions, destruction efficiency, and ongoing monitoring is especially important. For buyers and program designers, the most important diligence questions are: Would the gas have been destroyed anyway? Are chain-of-custody and destruction efficiency well documented?