Fluorinated greenhouse gases (F-gases) are powerful greenhouse gases, with environmental impacts many times greater than that of carbon dioxide. F-gases replaced ozone depleting substances, which are now entirely banned except in very limited circumstances. The most common types of F-gases are hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which are often used as the refrigerant in air conditioning systems.
A phase-down of HFC use was introduced by the Kigali Amendment to the United Nations Montreal Protocol in 2016. The Amendment requires an 85% reduction in HFC use by 2036. The EU and UK meet their Kigali obligations through the EU F-gas Regulation 517/2014. After the end of the EU Exit Transition Period, the F-gas Regulation and its supplemental legislation will be retained in domestic law as it applies to Great Britain, with Northern Ireland remaining within, and subject to, the EU’s F-gas system and legislation.
Alongside provisions for the reduction in HFC use, the F-gas Regulation sets out a framework of obligations to minimise the risk of emissions. This includes maintenance, regular leak checking and repair requirements for equipment containing F-gases, such as air conditioning systems, as well as training and certification requirements for technicians and companies that work on them. Further information on F-gas obligations can be found on the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) website.
Mike Gordon
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