What is F Gas?

“F Gases” are chemicals that contain “Fluorine” within their chemical composition. The Fluorine within the gas acts as a powerful green house agent and as such can prove harmful to the environment. Air Conditioning is one example of equipment that contains such gases. In the case of air conditioning and refrigeration, these gasses are labeled “R” i.e; R22, R134a and R410a, to name just a few.

All air-conditioning systems with more than 3Kg of refrigerant gas  must be regularly inspected by a Certified F-Gas Compliant Engineer.

Identification and Hazards

Fluorinated greenhouse gases are among the Kyoto Protocol groups of gases for which the EU has committed itself to reduce emissions. EC Regulation 842/2006 on certain fluorinated greenhouse gases (the F gas Regulation) is the legal instrument by which emissions reductions are to be delivered. The Regulation requires leakage checks to be carried out, repairs to be completed, gases to be recovered so that they do not escape to the atmosphere, certified personnel and companies to be used, labels to be used on some equipment, information to be reported to the Commission, and bans some F gas products.

Article 3 of the F gas Regulation introduces a requirement for operators to use all available measures which are technically feasible and that do not entail disproportionate cost in order to prevent leakage of F gases and to repair any detected leakage (as soon as possible) from the following list of stationary applications: refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump equipment, including their circuits, and fire protection systems.

For the purposes of this requirement “checked for leakage” means that the equipment or system is examined primarily for leakage using direct or indirect measuring methods, focusing on those parts of the equipment most likely to leak.

Timetable for F Gas Inspection

The Regulation also provides a timetable for the checking of leakage of these stationary (fixed) applications. The operators of these applications have to ensure that they are checked for leakage in line with the timetable set out in the Regulation (see below). The checking for leakage timetable is graduated in line with the amount of F gas contained in the application as detailed below.

Schedule for Inspection

• at least once every twelve months for applications containing 3kg or more of F gases
• at least once every six months for applications containing 30kg or more of F gases
• at least once every 3 months for applications containing 300kg or more of F gases

Note: These applications must also be checked for leakage within one month after a leak has been repaired to ensure that the repair has been effective.

As F Gas products are harmful to the environment strict controls are required to ensure that fluorinated greenhouse gases do not leak from equipment into the atmosphere. Such equipment should be regularly checked for leaks and records maintained. Suitably qualified personnel install, service & repair the equipment in use. An example of the certificate is shown below. Authorised companies have certification for maintaining F Gas equipment in accordance with F gas regulations.

Penalties & Fines

Refrigeration and air-conditioning users are affected by the EC Ozone Regulation which is phasing out certain ozone depleting substances known as (ODS). If you are in doubt about any of the above points regarding F Gas or ODS Regulations Tel: 01274 426728 or contact us via the email form on the Contact Us page.