“The forces of nature act according to a secret harmony
that it is the task of man to discover”
NEW EUROPEAN REGULATION 573/2024
From 11 March 2024 the new European Fgas Regulation 573/2024 came into force which repeals the old Fgas Regulation 517/2014, after more than 2 years of negotiations between Parliament, Council and Commission the new text is published in the European Journal.
Below we will highlight some of the changes introduced:
- New provisions on the containment, use, recovery, recycling, regeneration and destruction of fluorinated greenhouse gases and related ancillary measures, such as extended producer responsibility schemes, certification and training, including safe use of fluorinated greenhouse gases and alternative substances that are not fluorinated;
- New tax for the holding of Fgas quotas equal to 3 Euro/t-CO2 eq.
- New regulation and control for Fgas quota applicants.
- Conditions for the production, import, export, placing on the market, subsequent supply and use of fluorinated greenhouse gases and of specific products and equipment containing fluorinated greenhouse gases or the operation of which depends on these gases;
- Conditions for particular uses of fluorinated greenhouse gases;
- Quantitative limits for the placing on the market of HFCs;
Fgas 3.0 referred to in Regulation EC573/2024 applies:
- To fluorinated greenhouse gases listed in Annexes I (HFCs, PFCs and other perfluorinated compounds and fluorinated nitriles), Annex II (unsaturated hydro(chloro)fluorocarbons and other fluorinated substances) and Annex III (ethers, ketones and other fluorinated compounds) , alone or as mixtures containing such substances;
- Products and equipment, and parts thereof, that contain fluorinated greenhouse gases or whose operation depends on such gases.
Among the numerous new features we highlight:
- New periodic leak control obligations also for refrigeration units of light refrigerated vehicles, intermodal containers, including reefers, and railway wagons, as well as on air conditioning equipment and heat pumps of heavy vehicles, vans, mobile machinery non-road used in agriculture, mining and construction, trains, subways, trams and aircraft;
- Maintenance of existing Registers and extension of the obligation to keep Registers for companies that produce, place on the market, supply or receive F-gas exempt from the assignment of a quota for placing on the market;
- By 31 December 2027, the financing obligations (under extended producer responsibility schemes) for waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) also include financing for the recovery, recycling, remanufacturing or destruction of F-gases coming from equipment containing such gases and which were placed on the market after the entry into force of the Regulation, referred to in articles 12 and 13 of Directive 2012/19/EU;
- Extension of the certification obligations of natural persons carrying out installation, maintenance, assistance, repair, leak control and dismantling of refrigeration units of light refrigerated vehicles, intermodal containers, including reefers, and railway carriages. Similarly, the certification obligation has also been extended to companies that carry out installation, maintenance, assistance, repair and dismantling of such equipment;
- Introduction of the obligation to have a certificate for natural persons who carry out assistance, repair and maintenance activities on the air conditioning systems of motor vehicles of Directive 2006/40/EC as well as for the recovery of F-gas from such equipment ;
- New certification obligation for natural persons who carry out assistance, repair and maintenance activities, leak control and recovery of F-gas from the refrigeration circuits of air conditioning systems and heat pumps of heavy vehicles, vans and mobile machines non-road used in agriculture, mining and construction, trains, subways, trams and aircraft;
- The new certificates and certificates will be issued to individuals and companies that carry out interventions on the various equipment involved which contain F-gas but also alternative substances to F-gas, including natural refrigerants;
- From 1 January 2025: the use of F-gas with GWP equal to or greater than 2500 for the assistance or maintenance of all refrigeration equipment is prohibited. For such equipment, until 1 January 2030, it will still be possible to use F-gas with GWP equal to or greater than 2500 only if such F-gas is labeled as recycled or regenerated;
- From 1 January 2026: the use of F-gas with GWP equal to or greater than 2500 for the assistance or maintenance of air conditioning and heat pump equipment is prohibited. For such equipment, until 1 January 2032, it will still be possible to use F-gas with a GWP equal to or greater than 2500 only if such F-gas is labeled as recycled or regenerated;
- From 1 January 2032: the use of F-gas with GWP equal to or greater than 750 for the assistance or maintenance of fixed refrigeration equipment is prohibited, with the exception of chillers. For such equipment it will however be possible to use F-gas with GWP equal to or greater than 750 only if such F-gas is labeled as recycled or regenerated.
Sinteco Srl is a Historical company (Incumbent)
and holds F-Gas Quotas for the importation of HFCs in Europe
as per the European Commission
Implementation Decision dated 31-10-2014.
Sinteco is committed to the fight against illegally sold HFCs. We are committed to preventing the growth of the black market by working closely with our supply chain partners and to making sure that we use only reliable sources.
FGAS AUTHORISATIONS
Are you looking for Fgas Authorisations for the import of pre-loaded systems? Contact us!
Sinteco is able to provide you with Fgas Authorisations and all the assistance to be able to use them in compliance with EC Regulation 517/2014.
FGAS QUOTAS
Do you have Fgas Quotas and don’t know how to manage them or how to best exploit them? Contact us!
Sinteco is able to give you all the assistance to be able to use the Fgas Quotas together without losing them.