Dutch day of action bags illegal refrigerant
8th June 2024
NETHERLANDS: An unprecedented large-scale day of action by Dutch authorities seized around 85 cylinders of HFC refrigerant during unannounced visits to 70 car companies in Lelystad, central Netherlands.
The joint action on May 30 by the the Netherland’s Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT), the Central Netherlands police and the Flevoland & Gooi en Vechtstreek Environmental Service (OFGV) found both illegally purchased and illegally imported cylinders at a number of premises.
From photographs carried by the ILT, the seized R134a gas also appears to be in illegal non-refillable cylinders.
The day of action was aimed at checking suspected illegally imported and purchased cylinders and the presence of the correct certificates for their use and handling.
According to the ILT, the vast majority of the companies visited had their affairs in good order. However, in addition to the seizures, several warnings were issued for not having the papers in order or for incorrect storage. Both administrative and criminal action are said to have been taken.
This was the first time that such a large-scale day of action was organised by the joint authorities. The focus of this action was on car companies, but the ILT insists that the organisations involved also regularly carry out similar checks at companies that install air conditioning or, for example, heat pumps at private individuals or companies. They also check that engineers are correctly certified for handling F-gases.
