The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) wants to limit criminal liability for companies who flout new legislation associated with fluorinated gases (F-gases). In a consultation on 16 December 2014, the department has outlined how the UK will implement the EU’s 2014 F-Gas Regulations, which changes how F-gases will be regulated and enforced.
This law is designed to address greenhouse gas emissions caused by F-Gases, including hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons and sulphur hexafluroide, which are used in refrigeration and air conditioning systems as well as fire protection equipment.
Defra has made it clear that it expects to use the enforcement notices and penalties as a way of dealing with companies that do not comply with the Regulations “to limit the number of actions which directly result in criminal liability”.
Enforcement action will be brought under the as yet unnamed legislation that will transpose the EU law into UK legislation. This will be introduced in April 2015.
If you use any refrigeration, fire protection, air conditioning or heat pump systems, you will need to consider the following:
- See if your system contains F-gas by looking in the manual or labels on the equipment. There is a list of F-gases on the EU website
- Check for leaks. All maintenance and checks will need to be carried out by a trained technician
- Ensure your equipment is labelled correctly. It needs to state the name of the F-gas,
- Keep records and include notes on quantity
- When it’s installed
- Details of companies which install, service or decommission your equipment
- Dates and results of all mandatory leak checks and measures you have taken in disposing the F-gas when you have no further use for the equipment
You must keep records for 5 years and make them available to the EA should they ask.
This advice is taken from one four Environmental newsletters, available to all Hawksafe customers by email.