BRA calls for mandatory training on all refrigerants
8th July 2024
UK: The British Refrigeration Association (BRA) has urged the new Labour government to consult on mandatory training for all refrigerants as part of the F-gas consultation.
Welcoming the new UK government, BRA president Neil Roberts has called for the launch of the long-awaited F-gas review consultation.
“We look forward to working with ministers and officials to develop a new F-gas regulation, as this is essential to achieve the UK’s net zero ambitions,” he said.
While the UK is no longer required to follow the recently amended European F-gas regulation, it has committed to its own amendments to the previous EU F-gas rule (517/2016) which were transferred into British law post Brexit.
“As we transition away from high global warming potential F-gases, industry will need to scale up the use of alternative gases and we would urge the government to consider consulting on mandatory training for all refrigerants as part of the F-gas consultation – as the previous government indicated they would,” Roberts said.
“Mandatory training is essential if we are to retain a strong culture of safety as the market moves to the more widespread use of flammable refrigerants, which is why we are calling for this to be included in the consultation.”
Requirements for training on all types of refrigerant have been included within the new European F-gas regulation 2024/573.
The UK’s own Committee on Climate Change has called for the UK to match or exceed the European F-gas revisions, but DEFRA’s assessment report, published at the end of 2022, admitted that Great Britain might struggle to match the EU phase down proposal.
The UK HVACR industry has been pressing ministers to take a more pragmatic approach to its own revision, but there are benefits to harmonisation between the UK and European regulations, particularly with regard to the position of Northern Ireland.
Earlier this year, the Conservative minister of state at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Lord Benyon, responding to a parliamentary question, said: “F-gas policy is a key contributor to mitigating climate change, and we are reviewing our legislation to support delivery of our ambitious, domestic net zero agenda. Any changes we might propose will be focused on the needs and opportunities specific to the GB market.”
