Following our story in PMM’s March 2015 issue, regarding changes to the laws governing the purchase/sale of F-gas refrigerants for MAC systems, the Environment Agency’s Chemcial Compliance Team have been in touch with our newsdesk to ask us to remind operators of the changes to the laws, how they can ensure compliance and potential punishments for not doing so.
A selection of the key points are listed below:
Since 2009: Technicians who recover F-gas from Mobile Air Conditioning (MAC) systems of cars and light vehicles (e.g. vans lighter than 3.5 tonnes) have been legally required to hold a personnel qualification in refrigerant recovery. Failure to hold the appropriate qualification for this activity is an offence.
From 01 January 2015: Any person purchasing F-gas for use in a MAC system must prove to the person they are purchasing from that the technician who will use the gas holds a recovery qualification. It is an offence to sell F-gas for use by an unqualified technician.
What this means for you
If you work for a business which services the MAC systems of cars and/or light vehicles, you need to ensure that any technicians who recover F-gas from a MAC system hold a suitable qualification in refrigerant recovery; otherwise you are breaking the law. You are no longer allowed to purchase F-gas without demonstrating that it will be used by a qualified technician. This will prevent ‘over-the-counter’ purchases of F-gas if you cannot provide evidence of qualification.
Qualifications needed
The qualifications in Regulation (EC) 307/2008 set-out the training requirements to recover F-gas from the MAC systems in cars and light vehicles.Existing Level 3 qualifications achieved prior to 2015 are still valid.
Purchasing F-gas
Refrigerant wholesalers will need you to prove that your company employs qualified MAC technicians when you buy F-gas, otherwise your F-gas purchase will be refused. When setting-up an account with your supplier, you may be asked to provide training certificate details and sign a declaration that your qualifications are valid on a ‘letter of assurance’ document.
Compliance monitoring
The Environment Agency will be making routine checks of MAC service centres to ensure that technicians are suitably qualified. Those found to be operating illegally will face regulatory action which may include prosecution.
If you are concerned that you may not hold suitable qualifications, you should enrol on an appropriate course without delay. The Environment Agency’s F-gas Support Helpdesk can give you further advice on what is required.
Further information
New Defra approved guidance relating to F-gas in the MAC sector is available at www.gov.uk.
– For MAC search ‘F-gas in cars’.
– For more general guidance search ‘F-gas Regulations’.
Specific F-gas MAC training course details can be found on the websites of the following approved awarding bodies:
– City and Guilds of London Institute – www.cityandguilds.com
– The Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) – www.theimi.org.uk
– IMI Awards – www.imiawards.org.uk
If you have any queries that you want answered directly, you can email: fgassupport@environmentagency.gov.uk
