PyroGenesis Canada Inc. announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office has issued a Notice of Allowance for U.S. Patent No. 11116069, entitled, High power DC non transferred steam plasma torch system". This new patent covers the Company's high power DC steam plasma torch system, and relates to a steam plasma torch assembly wherein superheated steam is used as the main plasma forming gas, thereby resulting in a highly reactive steam plasma plume. The system is then used to destroy ozone depleting substances. This high-power steam torch system is used in PyroGenesis' SPARC technology, a patented PyroGenesis process designed to destroy ozone depleting substances such as end-of-life (EOL") refrigerants like CFCs, HCFs, and HFCs, which have high global warming potential (GWP"). EOL refrigerants are potent greenhouse gases with a GWP that can be thousands of times greater than carbon dioxide (CO). Research suggests that the management, and disposal, of HFC refrigerants is the best strategy to address climate change globally. Quickly phasing down HFC use has the potential to lower the effect of global warming by 0.5 C by 2100. In addition, the Environmental Protection Agency estimates supermarkets in the U.S. alone leak an average of 25% of their refrigerants annually, which is equivalent to the emissions from 12.5 million passenger vehicles for one year.