Refrigerants banned from use as of 1 January 2020

The objective of this technical bulletin TB/047 is to update members on what refrigerants are now banned from use as there have been reports of confusion and a lot of misleading statements made by some parties.

This technical bulletin is an update to our recent TB046 Service & Product Bans guidance issued in December 2019 and that guidance should be referred to for information relating to specific product bans which came into effect on 1^st January 2020 under the F-Gas Regulations. This TB is an overview which updates members on the legal position relating to older refrigerants such as CFCs and HCFCs which are still sometimes is use in older equipment.

Older Refrigerants: CFCs & HCFCs – Ozone depleting substances

Government advice on ozone depleting substances and the ODS Regulation that covered the phase out of these substances has been withdrawn from Government websites because the date(s) of the stages of phase out are now historical and the regulation covering these substances was superseded by the F-Gas Regulations in terms of leak checking and minimising emissions of the refrigerants containing fluorine, whether they be CFC, HCFC or HFC.

New Service Bans since 1 January 2020

The use of virgin fluorinated greenhouse gases (HFCs) with a GWP of 2500 or more to service or maintain refrigeration equipment with a charge of 40 tonnes CO₂ equivalent or more is prohibited from 1^st January 2020.

You can download the full Technical Bulletin TB/047 here.