Poland seizes over 13 tonnes of quota-busting refrigerant
7th September 2019
POLAND: Environmental protection officers in Zielona Góra, western Poland, have reported the seizure of over 1,000 cylinders of quota-busting HFC refrigerant from China.
An inspection and document control carried out by customs officers on a truck from China found cylinders containing HFC refrigerants being carried without a quota. In all, the shipment comprised 1,202 cylinders and a total amount of 13,768kg.
The authorities have not revealed the exact refrigerant in the shipment but photos of the seizure suggest at least some of it is R404A.
Significantly, the shipment appears to have been using legal refillable cylinders. While illegal shipments have previously involved the use of long-banned disposable cylinders, a clampdown by the authorities has seen the black marketeers switch to refillable cylinders in an effort to avoid detection.
Related stories:
Rise of the disposable “refillable” – 23 January 2019
EUROPE: A clampdown on the supply of refrigerant in illegal disposable cylinders has created a new illicit market in refrigerant being sold in refillable cylinders. Read more…
