EU crack down on the sale of illegal refrigerants

There was welcome news this week from the European Commission regarding the crackdown on the illegal sale of refrigerants.  A group of Italian refrigeration contractors became aware of the listing of R410A on the Amazon website, with no specific direction that buyers must hold an F-Gas certificate in order to make a purchase.

The contractors, members of Italy’s National Confederation of Crafts and Small and Medium Enterprises (the CAN), took Amazon to the Court of Rome and subsequently Amazon swiftly removed the refrigerants from their website and the case was settled out of court. Amazon have since confirmed that sellers must follow EU Regulations in regards to the sale of refrigerants and welcome any future notifications from contractors or individuals.

Why everyone must be vigilant when purchasing refrigerants

F-gas regulation (517/2014) clearly specifies that fluorinated greenhouse gases can only be sold to people and companies in possession of F-gas certification.  It is therefore essential that purchasers ask to see proof of certification before making a purchase and, importantly, if it is not presented then the seller must be reported.

Refrigerants can be highly dangerous if not used, stored or applied correctly. We all have a duty to ensure that refrigerants are handled and sold with care and no-one should be afraid to ask for certification. No honest and legal handler will ever mind being asked to see their certificate, in fact it should be shown or displayed routinely.

For more information on refrigerants visit the government website or contact the Environment Agency direct if you have a concern.

For more information on the case above click here.