R22

R-22 Refrigerant Ban in Air Conditioning - How will it affect you?

From 1 Jan 2010 it will be illegal to use virgin hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) such as R-22 when servicing and maintaining air conditioning equipment. Until the 31 December 2014 temporary use of recycled/recovered R-22 is possible but availability could be limited and costs high. From 1 January 2015 sales or use of recycled/recovered R-22 will be prohibited.

The regulation also calls for all operators of HCFC refrigeration systems to take "all precautionary measures practicable" to prevent and minimise leakage. It states that all fixed equipment systems with a refrigerant charge greater than 3kg will require an annual check for leakage. This must be undertaken by qualified personnel and they will be required to properly recover any HCFC refrigerant removed from a system.

How JMB Engineering can help

Our engineers are fully qualified to undertake this work and well help you develop a corporate strategy to ensure compliance with the new legislation. Simply call us now on 01543 466889 and we will advise on the options which include

• Replacement
• Refit
• Retrofit

A new air conditioning system may represent the best long term investment - in which case we will calculate likely energy savings, CO2 reductions and the payback period. We will project manage the transition to ensure the smooth integration of new systems and the safe disposal of the R-22 refrigerant.

Further reading

Click here to download the DETR / DTI pdf guide