Europe
 
For industry specific information including F-Gas regulation and legislative advice visit:
 
http://www.acrib.org.uk/

Ozone-depleting substances (ODS) regulations – EC 2037/2000

Changes to the Montreal Protocol lead to tighter restrictions being introduced on 1st October 2000 (EC/2037/2000). This regulation affects amongst others the use of all ozone depleting substances (ODS); these include chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs).

As a result of this legislation it became illegal to use virgin HCFCs after 31st December 2009 for maintenance and servicing of refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment. Current legalisation allows reclaimed HCFCs to be supplied until the end of December 2014 (while stocks last); however this date is subject to change.

Please visit the following link for further information:

http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/quality/air/fgas/index.htm

REACH

REACH is a European Union regulation concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and restriction of Chemicals. REACH came into force on 1st June 2007, and applies to substances manufactured or imported into the EU in quantities of 1 tonne or more per year. REACH requires for manufacturers and importers to register with a central European Chemicals Agency (ECHA).

Please visit the following link for further information:

http://www.hse.gov.uk/reach/index.htm

MAC Directive

The European Directive on mobile air-conditioning systems (MACs) aims at reducing emissions of specific fluorinated greenhouse gases in the air-conditioning systems fitted to passenger cars (vehicles of category M1) and light commercial vehicles (category N1, class 1).

The directive aims to control the leakage of fluorinated greenhouse gases with a global warming potential (GWP) higher than 150 in mobile air conditioning systems.  As a result, from 21 June 2008 the manufacturer has been unable to obtain a type approval for a new type of vehicle if it is fitted with MACs designed to contain F-gases with a GWP higher than 150 leaking more than 40 grams per year (one evaporator systems) and 60 grams per year (dual evaporator systems). As from 21 June 2009 this also applies for all new vehicles having been type-approved in the past.

From 1st January 2011 there will be a complete ban of MACs designed to use the above mentioned gases for new types of vehicles (the manufacturer will be unable to obtain a type approval for a new type of vehicle if it is fitted with this kind of systems) and as from 1 January 2017 for all new vehicles. After which, new vehicles with these systems cannot be registered, sold and enter into service.

http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/quality/air/fgas/mobile-air-conditioning/

Hazardous Waste Regulations

The Hazardous Waste (England & Wales) Regulations 2005 requires that premises which refrigerants will be received from for recycling must be notified to the Environment Agency (unless exemption applies) and will be assigned a Premises code, to be used on Waste Consignment Notes. This regulation was updated in 2009 to increase the threshold for exempt premises (those not requiring a premises code) from 200kgs of hazardous waste per year to 500kgs. Therefore any premises that produces more than 500kgs per year requires a premises code.

Please visit the following link for further information:

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/business/topics/waste/32180.aspx

Special Waste (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2004
Special Waste Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1998

For both Scotland and Northern Ireland a prenotification must be sent to the relevant agency three working days prior to the collection of waste. For Scotland this is the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and for Northern Ireland Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA).

Please contact A-Gas (UK) Ltd should you require further information with regards to Hazardous Waste Regulations and documentation for England, Scotland and Wales.

Australian Regulatory overview – HCFC Quota

The Montreal Protocol is given force in Australia under the Commonwealth Ozone Protection Act. It has already overseen the phase out of CFC based products and post 1996 became focussed on the ultimate phase out of the transitionary HCFC based products. Under the Australian regulatory framework, industry participants wishing to import HCFC based products post 1995 were required to apply for a restricted substance licence. Thereafter the collective HCFC imports of the Australian industry were monitored by the Australian Government. Provided the total of these imports remained under the legislated HCFC cap threshold, the market was allowed to operate as a free market. Should the collective imports of licensees exceed 90% of the import HCFC cap then the Government was obliged to impose an import quota regime.

This threshold was exceeded in 1997 and HCFC quotas were imposed in 1999 based on individual market shares in 1996. In effect market shares where “grandfathered” under a Government sponsored quota, against a backdrop of continuous demand and reducing supply.