The EIA argues that firm European regulation to cuts HFCs (hydrofluorocarbons) will send a strong signal to developing countries where their use is growing, but also help create a mass market for their replacement chemicals.

HFCs were developed to replace chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) which were responsible for the hole in the ozone layer. They are thousands of times more potent than CO2 when it comes to warming the atmosphere but do have a far shorter lifespan.

HFC emissions are growing rather than reducing and by 2020, they could be 80% higher. It is estimated that the emission of HFCs is probably on a par with the aviation industry as a proportion of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. HFCs are used in air conditioning and refrigeration units. The industry is experiencing rapid growth as middle classes in developing countries emerge, and as temperate climates suffer increasingly extreme summer temperatures, expanding the air conditioning market.

Air conditioning sales in India and China are growing at 20% a year. The EU’s policy on HFCs is currently up for review and the EIA believes there is an opportunity to lead by example and begin an aggressive phase down of HFC use. Replacement chemicals already exist but face resistance from industry that would be left with the costs of any changeover. HFCs and other so-called short-lived climate forcers such as methane and soot have received increasing attention in recent years.

The US established a coalition of countries to deal with short-lived climate forcers in developing countries earlier this year. France, Germany, Italy, Denmark, Finland, Jordan, and the UK joined the Climate and Clean Air Initiative in July, bringing the total number of signed-up states to 21.

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) predicts that slashing these emissions could delay climate change by up to three decades, avoid the annual loss of more than 30 million tons of crops, and prevent 2.4 million deaths – often from soot inhalation.

As a responsible company, we welcome any progress on greener initiatives in our industry and are happy to implement new measures and introduce new technology to our product range. Air conditioning is here to stay and plays a vital role in medicine, industry and science as well as being the most efficient form of all year round heating and cooling that a home can have.

R22 is a refrigerant traditionally used in many air conditioning systems, but that will soon become illegal as we aim to end the production of HCFCs and gases that are harmful to the environment.

The R22 phase out is pretty much complete in terms of new units. Manufacturers are no longer producing such systems. But for existing systems it is of vital importance that these gases are safely and securely replaced by a professional air conditioning expert.

Earlier this month we posted an in depth article on R22 replacement: Why it’s happening; Your liability and what you need to do; The R22 phase out plan; Government incentives and how you can save money in the process. Click on the R22 replacement link to read more about that and find out what you need to do and when you need to do it.

Get in touch with Simply Air Conditioning London to begin your R22 phase out.

The reason for the refrigerant R22 replacement is because the refrigerant has a negative impact on our ozone layer and as a result most companies are responding to the legislation change by complying with the regulations earlier than the set deadline of 2015.

This is great news for new products, but what about existing products currently out there? Well, you should get any unit that uses R22 refrigerants replaced as soon as possible.

Examples of refrigerants being used in place of R22 in new units are R404A and ammonia. These refrigerants have no impact on the ozone layer and are also more energy efficient, so it’s win win all round!

How easy is it to get my refrigerant R22 replacement?

For you, the consumer, it’s as simple as picking up the phone and contacting a specialist such as a Simply Air Conditioning engineer. For us, it’s a specialised skill, but one we are qualified and experienced in carrying out.

A safe and careful removal of the chemicals within R22 and replacement with new ones is of vital importance. Ammonia, Propane and Iso-butane, the replacement refrigerants, have their own risks and hazards associated with them so it really is vital that a specialised technician deals with them.

The R22 refrigerant phase out plan

In January 2010 the fluorinated refrigerants used in over 50% of UK air conditioning units was completely banned. This is not to say it isn’t still present in many UK air conditioning units. If you’re not sure whether you have a unit containing R22 call us now and we’ll survey your site for free and find out whether you need an R22 replacement.

Liability

The complete removal of R22 has to be complete by 2015. What this means is that the closer to 2015 you leave your replacement, the more expensive the job will become as it becomes a more and more specialised job. So act now to minimise the cost of your replacement as well as the impact on the environment. The liable party for any remaining R22 refrigerant at this point will be the end user. In other words, you.

Anyone not complying with the refrigerant R22 replacement risk the following:
– Business interuption
– Environmental litigation
– Health and safety litigation
– Losing insurance cover
– Loss of critical units

So many businesses are unaware of the new R22 Refrigerant laws, even many within the refrigeration and air conditioning trade. Simply Air Conditioning can help you become compliant with the refrigeration R22 replacement legislation.

Our advice is completely free of charge, as is our site assessment to find out whether you are affected by the changes. Our advice will continue above and beyond on anything you need to know in terms of F Gas laws and R22 refrigerant concerns.

R22 Government Tax Allowances

Capital purchases of new energy saving equipment will come with tax incentives as the government are offering allowances in tax to upgrade your equipment and aid the R22 phase out. Enhanced Capital Allowance (ECA) allows businesses complying with the R22 phase out to claim 100% tax allowance on their capital purchase of new equipment.

Save money NOW!

Not only can you save on tax but by installing a more modern and energy efficient air conditioning system you can drive your running costs down and reduce your payback times. The latest air conditioning equipment has actually been shown to cover its own cost in as little as three years as well as have a markedly reduced impact on the environment.

Firstly, when using this equipment, you must always check on them for any leaks. For small equipment, you have to check it at least once a year, and for bigger equipment you have to check it on regular basis. Secondly, you must house the equipment appropriately. This will prevent the exhaust from any of the equipment from getting into the atmosphere. You should also ensure that you destroy the refrigerant gases properly. And for this maintenance of the equipment, only professionals should be allowed to work on the refrigerant gases. You must ensure that you plan for future restriction of the usage of this equipment.

The legislation has been put in place to keep people and the environment safe. Businesses are expected to understand all these governing rules and they are expected to apply them in their organisation. For people who do not know anything about the working of the equipment that we are talking about, simply looking at refrigeration units is not enough. Breaking open the seal knowingly or unknowingly could be disastrous as it would be impossible to understand or know the kind of liquid or gas that was coming out. Looking at it from this perspective, you would understand that the legislation is not about placing restriction on the liberty of people just for the sake of it, but it is for the safety of the owners of the equipment and the society at large.

This is why the government and the EC hold everyone responsible for managing the maintenance of their air conditioning and refrigeration units, in order to make sure that the environment does not become polluted. There are some terms that should be understood in relation to the issues of air condition and environment pollution. There is ODS which means Ozone Depleting Substances. These are chemicals that cause the ozone layer above to reduce, thereby allowing some dangerous rays to enter into the atmosphere. There are also F-Gases which means Fluorinated greenhouse gases. These are a family of gases that contains fluorine and they are powerful greenhouse gases that can trap the heat in the atmosphere thereby contributing to global warming.

Operators bear legal responsibility for your equipment’s compliance with this regulation.

All stationary, hard-wired units must be regularly checked, this is a legally obligation. The frequency of these checks should be determined by the amount of refrigerant in your system: 3kg requires an annual inspection whilst 30kg requires at least 2 per year.

In order to remain within the law, you must:

• Arrange for leak checks in accordance with a leak checking schedule.
• Prevent & repair leaks as a matter of due care.
• Ensure that only certified personnel conduct leakage checks.
• Maintain records of refrigerants and servicing.
• Arrange proper recovery by certified personnel during servicing & disposal.