Dedicated website highlights illegal HFC trade

BELGIUM: Leading the fight against the illegal trade in HFCs, the refrigerant manufacturers’ group EFCTC has launched a dedicated microsite to tackle the problem.

The informative microsite is intended for all actors in the supply chain – from manufacturers and traders, to end users and authorities – and aims to raise awareness of the issues. 

“We have launched this microsite because the issue of illegal HFC trade is not going to go away by itself. This information hub is intended to help all actors in the value chain play their part in the fight against illegal HFCs,” said Tim Vink, vice-chair of the EFCTC and director global regulatory affairs at Honeywell. 

Available in five different languages – English, French, German, Italian and Spanish – the site details who’s involved, the scope of the problem, and eventual solutions. It highlights how companies across Europe may be using illegally imported HFC gases without their knowledge and provides concrete guidance on how to avoid becoming a part of the problem. 

The initiative builds on existing tools, including the EFCTC Action Line for anonymous reporting of suspected illegal F-gas products and trade, which already saw 228 incidences reported to it between March and December 2019. New tools, such as animations, infographics and factsheets complement, further explain and visualise the issue. 

“While the ongoing work to halt the black market is starting have an impact, we cannot do this alone. I hope the EFCTC’s initiatives, such as the microsite and Action Line, will help actors from across the supply chain to become part of the solution.” Tim Vink concluded. 

The EFCTC microsite address is www.stopillegalcooling.eu.