F-Gas: Key Dates

Under EU F- Gas Regulation No 842/2006 operators of stationary refrigerating equipment now have to:

• Prevent leakage and have leaks repaired as soon as possible by certified personnel and keep service and maintenance records detailing quantity and type of F- Gas used. 

• Carry out a regular fixed schedule of inspections for leaks for equipment with a circuit charge of 3kg or more following a standard leak checking and procedure laid down by the Commission (can be downloaded at www.berr.gov.uk). This includes an obligation to check repairs made. 

• Systems with a charge of over 300kg must have fixed leakage detection systems. 

• F-Gas recovery recycling, reclamation or destruction must be carried out by certified personnel  

• Placing non refillable containers of F gases on the market has now been banned.

GB Regulations (SI 2008 No. 41) are now in force naming the interim qualifications for working with stationary refrigeration/air conditioning equipment containing 3kgs or more of F gases as City and Guilds 2078 and CITB equivalent .

New Products and new field assembled systems containing HFC have to be appropriately labeled when they are first placed on the market.

• UK Government will establish personnel and company certification programs to meet the new EU requirements as agreed in December 2007 by the Commission. 

• A consultation on proposed GB Regulations will be issued by Government in early summer of 2008 specifying minimum requirements for personnel and companies. For existing workers, this is likely to take the form of an update qualification based on revised City and Guilds and CITB refrigerant handling assessments. This qualification is currently under development by ACRIB and should be available from July 2008. 

• Personnel holding an existing 2078/CITB certificate are likely to be “deemed to be certified” under the Regulation until they have achieved the updated national qualification.

Under the EC (ODS) Regulation 2037/2000 - No virgin HCFC can be supplied or used for servicing existing equipment.

Personnel carrying out service, maintenance, recovery or leak checking on stationary refrigeration equipment containing refrigerants covered by the F Gas Regulation must have obtained one of the updated national qualifications.

Under the EC (ODS) Regulation 2037/2000 - No recycled or recovered HCFC can be supplied or used to service existing equipment. This date is currently under review by the European Commission and may be brought forward to 2012 for industrial process refrigeration.