Consultation on draft Fluorinated Greenhouse Gases Amendment Regulations NI 2018These draft Regulations aim to amend existing NI F-gases Regulations to help to control Northern Ireland’s (“NI”) greenhouse gas emissions and help limit global warming.
F-gases are used in NI in the following sectors of business/industry:
- refrigeration systems,
- air conditioning (including in motor vehicles),
- heat pump equipment,
- F-gas based solvents,
- high-voltage switchgear,
- insulation foam,
- refrigerated lorries and trailers,
- aerosols,
- fire protection,
- magnesium smelting/casting,
- Organic Rankine Cycles, and
- chemical manufacturers and suppliers.
The new provisions on F-gases include the following:
- extending existing provisions on F-gases to now include a new sector of business, namely refrigerated trucks and trailers,
- updates to certification for work with F-gases in electrical switchgear,
- a new certification requirement for work with F-gases in stationary refrigeration and air conditioning, heat pumps and refrigeration units of trucks and trailers,
- updates to legal requirements on placing labels on equipment containing F-gases,
- new reasons acceptable for contesting an enforcement notice issued for alleged offences relating to F-gases,
- a legal requirement for any business transferring work with F-gases to another business to ensure that adequate certification is in place for work with F-gases, and
- amendments to how certification, evaluation and attestation bodies for qualifications for work with F-gases are listed in law.