LEGISLATION

Various pieces of legislation impact upon the selection and use of different refrigerants, along with qualifications required to work with refrigerants. A summary of some of those are given below.

Useful Website

There is a useful website supported by EFCTC and fluorocarbon users, giving guidance about implementing and compliance of the F-Gas regulations. The site is called figaroo, to visit this site please click here

BRA Factfinder R22 and HCFC phase-out

The British Refrigeration Association (BRA) has produced a factfinder to highlight the impact of the phase-out of R22 and HCFC refrigerants and what needs to be done to avoid significant disruption. To read this document please click here

F Gas Regulations

Although F- Gases as a whole are a small part of the overall contribution to global warming, this legislation will bring in measures that will improve containment and significantly reduce emissions of these gases. The legislation was published in the official journal of the EU in June 2006 and entered into force on 4th July 2006, although the majority of measures don't take effect until 4th July 2007. The main objective of the regulation is to prevent and reduce emissions of certain fluorinated greenhouse gases covered by the Kyoto Protocol. The regulation addresses containment, use, recovery, destruction, reporting, labelling, training, certification and some placing on the market prohibitions for the fluorinated gases.

A summary of the relevant parts affecting refrigeration and air conditioning applications can be found by clicking here along with links to the relevant DEFRA and Dti websites.

ACRIB has released a document relating to the EU F gas legislation and how it affects each group, for more information please click here.

The European Partnership for Energy and the Environment (EPEE) has issued the following Frequently asked questions relating to the F-Gas regulations to view this document please click here.

F Gas Support is Launched

 F-Gas Support will help promote compliance with two important EU Regulations:

  • EC Regulation 842/2006 on certain fluorinated greenhouse gases (the F gas Regulation), which aims to reduce emissions of HFCs, PFCs and SF6 and whose key obligations came into force in July 2007.
  • EC Regulation 2037/2000 on substances that deplete the ozone layer (the Ozone Regulation), which phases out and controls remaining uses of ODS and has been in force since 2000.  HCFCs are the main type of substance still to be phased out under this Regulation.

How to contact F-Gas Support:
Website:  Click here to visit the website
Telephone Help Line:  0161 874 3663  
Email:  fgas-support@enviros.com
Post:  F-Gas Support, P O Box 481, Salford, M50 3UD

Flourinated Greenhouse Gas Regulations

This is the UK Statutory Instrument  2008 / 41 which applies all the relevant parts of the F Gas regulation in the UK and also details enforcement, offences and penalties.

The full text of the Regulation can be seen by clicking here

EU 2037/2000 Ozone Depleting Substances Legislation Summary

This legislation implemented a phase out of ozone depleting substances. The use of CFCs was banned along with the use of HCFCs in new equipment and certain applications. The servicing of refrigeration and air conditioning equipment was allowed to continue to use virgin HCFCs only until 31st December 2009. After this date it will be illegal to use any virgin product held in stock. It is recommended that companies reduce or eliminate their dependence on HCFCs prior to 2010 by replacing or converting equipment in a phased changeover. Waiting until 2009 or even 2010, to start could cause users problems.

For more information please click here.

Ozone Depleting Substances handling Qualifications - Legislation

The UK regulation came into effect on 10th July 2006 and the exemption for experienced engineers expired on 9th April 2007, it sets out minimum qualifications for handlers of ozone depleting substances as defined by EC regulation 2037/2000. This affects those working on refrigeration and air conditioning systems containing HCFC's such as R22.

For more information please click here.

IOR Document - Assessments for Safe Handling of Refrigerants - 'Just the facts'

Skills and knowledge tests for refrigerant handling (City and Guilds 2078 and CITB equivalent) have been around in their present form since January 1996. They were developed for and by industry to prove operatives' competency. And yet there is sometimes some confusion and misunderstanding about this qualification within some elements of the industry - and even people who have been awarded this qualification don't always appreciate its significance.

For more information please click here.

Hazardous Waste Regulations

The Hazardous Waste Regulations 2005 (England and Wales) came into force on 16 July 2005 and replaced the Special Waste Regulations 1996. Under the new regulations CFC, HCFC and HFC Refrigerants are classified as Hazardous waste when they are recovered from a system. Those carrying out such operations, or requesting others to do so on their site, must follow a registration procedure with the Environment Agency and ensure relevant paperwork accompanies any movement of waste. Anyone not following these procedures or releasing refrigerant to atmosphere can be prosecuted.

For more information please click here.

BRA Factfinder on Hazardous Waste Legislation Requirements

For more information please click here.