A-Gas urges rapid switch to reclaimed refrigerant
2nd January 2020
UK: A-Gas is urging installers and end-users not to waste time in switching to reclaimed refrigerants now that the use of virgin R404A is banned.
The international refrigerant supplier has spoken out following the latest restriction imposed by the European F-gas regulations. Since January 1 virgin HFC refrigerants with a GWP greater than 2500 have been banned from use to service or refill refrigeration or freezer systems, with a refrigerant charge size of 40 tonnes of CO2e or more. This equates to around 10.2kg of R404A, a common refrigerant in medium sized systems. Smaller and hermetically sealed systems should be unaffected by this ban. The ban will also include R507 and the R22 replacement gas R422D, both of which have GWPs in excess of 2500. The ban applies across Europe.
This rule also applies to companies who may have stockpiled these refrigerants before that date. Reclaimed or recycled refrigerant will still be able to be used until 2030.
“As a refrigerant supplier we have been increasing our capacity to handle reclaimed R404A which we believe will be a stepping stone to the new generation of low GWP refrigerants,” A-Gas said in a statement.
A-Gas says it has invested heavily in expanding its reclamation facilities in the UK and in Europe and insists that, with the major refrigerant suppliers removing all stocks of virgin R404A and R507A from sale in the Europe, the importance that the switch to reclaimed gases must gain pace if the industry is to manage this change.
“It is also key that installers and end users understand the difference between reclaimed and recycled refrigerants,” it says. “Recycled refrigerant is a handy quick-fix which is cleaned up and can only be used on site. While reclaimed refrigerant is product that has been reprocessed by a licensed facility to the industry standard AHRI 700 to match that of virgin product. It is purified, certificated and guaranteed to be returned to the same standard as virgin material.
“The demand for reclaimed R404A will grow and this will have an effect on supplies. While low GWP alternatives are in the long run the preferable choice, reclaimed gases are part of the future as they make use of material that has already been produced, helping to prolong the life of equipment and reducing the burden on producing new, quota restricted, material.”
To help users with the upcoming changes, A-Gas has launched a guidance sheet on the use of R404A to help users better understand the product limitations.
Related stories:
Chemours to end supply of R404A and 507A – 17 December 2019
EUROPE: Chemours has announced it will cease the supply of high-GWP refrigerants R404A and R507A in the European Union as of January 1, 2020. Read more…
Users warned of forthcoming R404A refrigerant ban – 19 May 2019
UK: DEFRA has issued warnings of new F-gas rules that will ban virgin high GWP refrigerants, like R404A, in systems of 40 tonnes CO2e or more from 1 January 2020. Read more…
