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F gases and ozone depleting substances - who is affected?

Many commercial, industrial and public sector organizations will have obligations under the Regulations. Key uses of F gases and ODS include refrigeration and air-conditioning, fire protection systems and high voltage switchgear. They are also used in various types of aerosol and in certain specialised industrial processes. What you are obliged to do, will depend on the type of organization as follows:

  • End users of F gases have a number of obligations related to containment, gas recovery and record keeping. There are a large number of organisations that use F gases and they must all ensure they are complying with the Regulations.
  • Contractors working with F gases have obligations related to the use of suitably qualified personnel and provision of appropriate equipment. Contractors in refrigeration, air-conditioning and fire protection will also need to obtain a certificate to allow them to work with F gases.
  • Equipment manufacturers and distributors have obligations related to equipment labelling and must ensure they adhere to the applicable F gas product bans. They can help end users by selling equipment that has very low leakage rates.
  • F gas bans will apply in a number of markets including the use of F gases in certain types of containers, the use of SF6 in magnesium smelting and the use of non-refillable F gas containers. HCFC refrigerants will be phased out between 2010 and 2015.

All activities that use F gases or ODS could be affected. For more details see:

What to do next:

Check our information on how particular sectors are affected, as follows:

This information is managed by F-Gas Support, a Government funded team set up to provide guidance for manufacturers, operators, contractors and others that make, sell or handle F gases and ODS and associated equipment. We also help regulators promote compliance with these important environmental Regulations.

Page last modified: 12 August, 2008
Page published: 24 July 2008

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs