FLUORINATED GREENHOUSE GASES REGULATIONS 2009

This legislation gives effect to Regulation 842/2006/EC on Certain Fluorinated Greenhouse Gases, which requires standard leakage detection requirements for equipment using fluorinated gases.      

This Regulation covers the use of fluorinated gases - hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs) and sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) - in five industrial applications: stationary refrigeration and air conditioning; fire protection; mobile air conditioning; high voltage switchgear and solvent cleaning.

The legislation requires standard checking requirements to prevent leakage and repair any detected leakage. Leakage checks must be conducted in accordance with EC/1516/2007 for of stationary equipment and 1497/2007 for fire protection systems.

A periodic check by certified personnel is required, with the following frequency, depending on the quantity used:  

• 3 kg or more : at least once every 12 months – except for hermetically sealed systems containing less than 6 kg;
• 30 kg or more : at least once every 6 months (12 months with an appropriate leakage detection system);
• 300 kg or more : at least once every 3 months (6 months with an appropriate leakage detection system – which is anyway mandatory).
• for 300 kg or more units, leakage detection systems must be installed on stationary equipment and checked at least once every 12 months. In the case of fire protection systems installed before 4 July 2007, leakage detection systems must be installed by 4 July 2010.

In addition, for all units containing more than 3kg of fluorinated gases a log book must be kept, indicating the quantity and type of product, quantities added when necessary, and the quantity recovered during servicing, maintenance and final disposal. Other information such as details of the servicing company, dates and results of the checks is also required.  

Manufacturers' Responsibilities

Manufacturers, importers and exporters of F-gases above 1 tonne per year must report on the application in which the gas will be used, the quantity placed on the market and the quantity destroyed, reclaimed or recycled. Equipment containing F-gases must be properly labelled, including the gas and its quantity. Operational manuals must contain such information, as well as the gases global warming potential and whether it is hermetically sealed.

Sulphur hexafluoride for use in filling vehicle tyres and for use in magnesium die-casting when above 850kg is banned from 9 March 2009. Other uses of F-gases are banned including for use in windows, footwear, tyres, foams (except to meet safety standards) and novelty aerosols. This extends to importation from outside the EU.

From 4 July 2009 it became a legal requirement for all businesses maintaining or servicing equipment containing F-gases to hold a company certificate. Guidance is available here.

Qualifications

Operators must ensure that fluorinated gases are recovered and only by qualified personnel. The certification bodies are:

• the City and Guilds of London Institute and the Construction Industry Training Board for stationary refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump equipment;
• the Fire Industry Association for fire protection systems;
• Schedule 2 lists the numerous certification bodies for high voltage switchgear;
• No certification body is listed for fluorinated greenhouse gas based solvents;
• Regulation 39 lists the attestation bodies for refrigerants in certain motor vehicles.

It is an offence to undertake the following activities on stationary or fire protection equipment without a qualification: leakage checking where the F-gas is above 3kg, or for stationary equipment, 6kg if hermetically sealed. It is also an offence to undertake the following; recovery; installation; maintenance and servicing. Maintenance and repair at a site manufacturing the equipment is exempt. For high voltage switchgear, F-gas solvents and motor vehicles it is an offence to undertake recovery of the F-gases.

Employers must ensure that their employees are suitably qualified. Training employers must keep training records of employees for 3 years.

By 4th July 2011, contractors and employees who install maintain or service stationary refrigeration, air conditioning or heat-pump equipment that contains F-Gas refrigerants, need to hold a full F-Gas certificate and the company that employs them needs to hold a full company certificate.

F-gas guidance for all sectors is available from the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).

Applicability

This legislation is applicable to all of Ardagh's sites in Great Britain.

Under this legislation, the company must ensure that that any refrigeration, air-conditioning or fire protection units are serviced regularly and that a register of equipment containing over 3kgs of fluorinated gases should be kept alongside maintenance records and records of topping up and removal of gases.

The company representative stated that the engineering department is responsible for maintaining the register of refrigerants and that units are serviced regularly.

Ardagh must also ensure that contractors are suitably qualified.

Related Aspects
Refrigerants