UK: One of many main home and industrial refrigeration producers has been discovered to be overtly promoting R134a refrigerant in contravention of the F-gas rules.
Whereas the air-con and refrigeration trade in Europe and the UK has struggled to adjust to the strict restrictions of the F-gas rules, non-compliance and the unlawful commerce in refrigerants has severely broken the reliable market and undermined the regulation’s environmental goals.
In December, the Cooling Publish grew to become conscious that Electrolux, one of many main home and industrial refrigeration suppliers, was providing R134a refrigerant by way of its UK on-line spares web site.
The gasoline in 900g “rechargeable” cylinders was supplied with no reference to the F-gas rules and with, seemingly, no try to make sure that the purchaser carried the required F-gas certification. As well as, no deposit was being charged on the cylinder, nor did there look like any techniques in place to make sure the cylinder was returned for refilling, as required by the F-gas rules.
It was subsequently discovered that R134a was additionally being supplied on a variety of Electrolux’s European web sites, together with these serving Spain, Portugal and Poland. The gasoline was additionally being supplied on the web site of Electrolux’s subsidiary firm Zanussi within the UK.
Each the Electrolux and Zanussi web sites carrying the gasoline appeared on the prime of Google when finishing up a easy seek for R134a. Our personal investigations additionally indicated that the gasoline had been out there from these websites for greater than 12 months.
Buy
The Cooling Publish subsequently sought to buy a cylinder from the Electrolux web site. At no stage of the shopping for course of had been we requested for any F-gas accreditation/certification particulars. The location did include a word that the product needs to be put in by a “skilled technician” and contained a hyperlink to an “Electrolux Repairs” web page. Nevertheless, this restore service was solely out there for home equipment “lower than a yr outdated”.
Regardless of absolutely anticipating that our lack of an F-gas certificates would at some stage interrupt supply, the cylinder duly arrived by way of DPD.
The cylinder arrived in a battered ill-fitting field that was clearly not designed for the aim. The field was additionally marked as containing “Glass”. Inside, the cylinder was wrapped in a single sheet of bubble wrap, with no safety for the cylinder valve.
The supply word indicated it had been despatched from Electrolux Elements in Durham and, oddly and erroneously, suggesting it had been delivered by Royal Mail.
Underneath “Becoming Directions”, the supply word instructed: “These elements needs to be fitted by a suitably certified individual, gasoline elements should be fitted by a Gasoline Secure Register engineer”.
Returns
The consignment contained no reference to, or some other data concerning, the return of the cylinder for refilling as required by the F-gas regulation (517/2014). Article 2 (13) of the regulation states that “a container which can’t be refilled with out being tailored for that function or is positioned available on the market with out provision having been made for its return for refilling” is outlined as a “non-refillable container”. Non-refillable cylinders have been banned within the UK and Europe since 2007.
In reality, the cylinder proved unimaginable to return even beneath Electrolux’s printed 14-day returns coverage. We had been knowledgeable that neither Royal Mail, which the Electrolux web site directs you to make use of, nor DPD, who really delivered our cylinder, would allow the return of a the cylinder by way of their providers.
As quickly because the cylinder arrived, we knowledgeable the UK Atmosphere Company, the UK authorities physique chargeable for policing the F-gas regulation. We additionally knowledgeable Electrolux of our findings and the objects had been promptly faraway from their web sites.
Electrolux media relations supervisor Rupini Bergstrom commented: “We stopped all gross sales to make sure this example is dealt with correctly whereas we’re conducting our inner investigation. The gross sales cease of F-Gasoline canisters and the assessment of our course of applies to the UK and the EU. We take this matter very severely and can apply all mandatory measures in accordance with the result of our investigation, together with contacting third events and authorities the place relevant. Our proposal is to maintain you knowledgeable as soon as we now have additional data.”
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