Stationary refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pumps: F-gas controls

Refrigeration and air conditioning

Stationary refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump (RAC) systems are one of the largest sources of fluorinated greenhouse gas (F-gas) emissions. F-gases commonly used in RAC systems are:

  • hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) - HFC 23, HFC 134a, HFC 152a
  • perfluorocarbons (PFCs) - PFC 218, R 218, Refrigerant 218.

These gases have a high Global Warming Potential (GWP) and are regulated under UK and EU law.

Operator responsibilities

The operator is responsible for meeting F-Gas obligations. An operator is a person or business with technical control over the system. This includes:

  • free access to the system, e.g. supervising its components or functioning
  • control over the day-to-day running or function
  • powers, including financial, to decide on technical modifications, F-gas quantity modifications or have repairs carried out.

The owner of the equipment is usually the operator unless such functions have been transferred.

What you must do

Key F-gas obligations

If you operate RAC equipment containing F-gases, you must meet legal obligations.

Prevent leakage - where it is technically feasible and does not entail disproportionate cost, you must prevent leakage of F-gas refrigerants and repair any discovered leaks as soon as possible.

Check leaks regularly - Leak checks must be conducted by certified personnel at intervals determined by the systems F-gas charge in CO2 equivalent (CO2e):

Leak testing frequencies

Equipment charge (CO2 e)

Leak check frequency

With leak detection system

<5 tonnes

N/A

N/A

5 to <50 tonnes

12 months

24 months

50 – 500 tonnes

6 months

12 months

> 500 tonnes

3 months

6 months

There’s no maximum period of time between leak checks on:

  • hermetically sealed refrigeration and air conditioning systems unless they contain F gas equivalent to 10 tonnes of carbon dioxide (that’s equal to 2.6kg of HFC404A or 7kg of HFC 134a)
  • refrigeration systems in vehicles, except refrigerated trucks or trailers

The system must be checked within a month after a leak has been repaired to ensure that the repair has been effective.

If you install a system to automatically detect leaks, you can double the period of time allowed between leak checks. For example, with a leak detection system you must check a product that contains F gas equivalent to 5 tonnes of carbon dioxide every 2 years.

Automatic leak detection systems

You must fit a leak detection system to equipment with a contained charge >500 tonnes of CO2e. This system must be checked every 6 months.

Record keeping

Operators must maintain detailed records for all RAC systems containing F-gases. Thes include:

  • Type and quantity of F-gas
  • Charge in tonnes of CO2e
  • Quantity of refrigerant added or recovered
  • Identity and certification of servicing personnel
  • Dates and results of all leak and system checks

Records must be kept for at least 5 years.

Recover gas

If F-gas refrigerant is removed from any system, it must be properly recovered by appropriately certified personnel during servicing and decommissioning. You must also ensure that all F-gases that are not recycled or reclaimed are disposed of correctly.

Label equipment

All RAC equipment must display a visible label indicating:

  • that the equipment contains f-gases
  • the specific F-gas used
  • the charge size (kg)
  • the CO2e value of the charge
  • the Global Warming Potential (GWP) of the F-gas contained

Labelling must be clearly visible.

Get certified

Personnel

Anyone carrying out leak checking, gas recovery, installation, maintenance or servicing of equipment containing F-gas must be appropriately qualified.

GOV.UK: Qualifications required to work with equipment containing F-gas

Companies

Businesses working with F-gas equipment must have a company certificate issued by a UK approved certification body.

Certification requires proof of:

  • Qualified staff
  • Suitable tools and procedures
  • Adequate workforce for services provided

GOV.UK: Certification for companies working on equipment containing F-gas

Submit reports

If your business produces, imports, exports or destroys more than 1 tonne of F-gas per year you must submit an annual report by 31 March for the previous calendar year:

  • In Northern Ireland, report to the European Commission and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency
  • In Great Britain (England, Scotland, Wales) report to the Environment Agency

Don't use non-refillable containers

Use of non-refillable containers for transporting and storing F-gases is banned. You must not place non-refillable containers on the market, except for those manufactured (filled with refrigerant) before 4 July 2007.

Alternatives to F-gases

You should consider using lower GWP alternatives, such as:

  • Ammonia
  • Carbon dioxide (CO2)
  • Hydrocarbons, e.g. butane and propane.

These alternatives may also have safety, environmental, or regulatory considerations.

F-gas phase down

The UK is reducing the availability of HFC’s in line with international commitments. The phase down is based on CO2e and targets high-GWP gases first, encouraging the shift to more sustainable alternatives.

From 01 January 2025. the sale of new single-split air conditioning systems that contain less than 3kg of refrigerant (a system with one cooling coil connected to a remote condensing unit) with a GWP above 750 will be banned.

Further information

 

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