Plans to develop “refrigerant driving license”
29th July 2015
USA: The AHRI has met with UNEP to develop a global qualification programme for refrigerant supply chain networks.
The AHRI (Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute) and the United Nations Environmental Programme completed an exchange of letters at a side event meeting during last week’s 36th Montreal Protocol Open Ended Working Group meeting in Paris.
Referred to as a refrigerant driving license (RDL), the programme is said to be aimed at ensuring the sound and safe management of refrigerants. It is envisaged that it will support the accelerated global transition to new refrigerants brought on by the Montreal Protocol’s ozone layer protection targets by addressing challenges in soundly and safely managing refrigerants. It will also complement existing programmes to upgrade the skills and knowledge of field specialists as new technologies become available.
“Working with UNEP and developing the RDL is one very important aspect of the industry’s focus on ensuring the proper, safe, and environmentally sound management of refrigerants,” said AHRI president and CEO, Stephen Yurek. “AHRI’s relationship with UNEP will provide an excellent platform for working with other associations and institutes, creating a global network to support the safe handling of refrigerants,” he added.
