Environmental

Environmental

The Ozone Depleting Substances Regulation.

The Montreal Protocol in 1987 brought about the banning of CFC’s and the development and controlled phase out of HCFC’s as a means of preserving the Ozone Layer. Most of the notable dates and actions have already passed however the two most important events still to come are as follows.

1st January 2010 – Total ban on the sale and use of virgin HCFC’s in the maintenance of all refrigeration and air conditioning plant. All virgin HCFC refrigerants that are in existence after this date must be incinerated. Stock piling is also not allowed under this legislation.

1st January 2015 – Total ban on the sale and use of re-cycled HCFC’s in the maintenance of all refrigeration and air conditioning plant. After this date only alternative HFC’s can be used.

Fluorinated Greenhouse Gases Regulation (F Gas)

Unlike the ODS regulation which concentrates on the prevention of Ozone Depletion, the F Gas regulation aims to reduce the world wide greenhouse gas emissions by 5% in an obligatory period from 2008 to 2012. Born out of the Kyoto Protocol in 2005 the F Gas regulation is not about banning refrigerants; its main focus is the containment and safe recovery of F Gases. Refrigerant containing Fluorine with a Global Warming Potential greater than 150 come under this regulation.

Leak Detection frequency.

  • Systems containing more than 3kg – every 12 months (6kg for hermetically sealed systems)
  • Systems containing more than 30kg – every 6 months
  • Systems containing more than 300kg – every 3 months and must be fitted with a fixed leak detection system which itself must be checked for operation every 12 months.
  • Once a leak has been repaired a further check must be carried out within one month to ensure the repair has been successful.

Requirements for reporting.

Records must be kept for each system containing more than 3kg of F Gas refrigerant.

Minimum training requirements

City and Guilds 2078 certificate in handling refrigerants

Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) Safe Handling of Refrigerants.

New qualifications come into force in 2011. These are City and Guilds 2079 award in F Gas regulations.

All Oxford Refrigeration engineers hold a C&G 2078 certificate. Our engineers are currently going through or have already achieved the new qualification in preparation for the 2011 dead line.

Under this scheme, all businesses liable for UK corporation tax, are able to claim a enhanced capital allowance on any qualifying expenditure (regardless of size and location of business or whether in the industrial of commercial sector)

Businesses can offset the full cost of specific technologies (such and VRV and VRF systems) against taxable profits of the period of the investment.

In order to qualify for this scheme, the chosen technology has to meet energy saving criteria as published in the Energy Technology Criteria List.

Only investment in new and unused plant and machinery qualify. For further information go to www.eca.gov.uk