Ozone
The ozone layer protects life on earth from harmful UV rays from the sun. Ozone-depleting substances (ODS) are man-made substances that cause damage to the stratospheric ozone layer and have contributed to the Ozone Hole over the Antarctic. Halons, hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are all types of ODS.
Hydrochloroflurocarbons (HCFCs) and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are mainly used in refrigeration and air conditioning equipment. Halons are mainly used in fire protection systems and fire extinguisher in aircraft, ships and other similar facilities.
Latest news
20 July 2011 – The Environmental Protection (Controls on Ozone-Depleting Substances) Regulations 2011 (SI 2011/1543) came into force.
Background
The Montreal Protocol is a UN international treaty that was agreed in 1987 to prevent damage to the stratospheric ozone layer, which protects all life on earth from harmful UV radiation. The Protocol controls the production and use of ozone-depleting substances such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) which had been widely used by the refrigeration and air-conditioning sectors worldwide, through implementing phase out schedules for these substances.
Under the Montreal Protocol, developed countries make annual contributions to the Multilateral Fund (MLF) which helps provide financial assistance for developing countries to meet their ozone-depleting substances phase out obligations. The UK makes annual contributions to the MLF as a donor Party.
Relevant legislation
EU Legislation
Regulation (EC) 1005/2009 (PDF 1.2 MB) on substances that deplete the ozone layer came into force on 1 January 2010 and replaced the previous Ozone Regulation EC 2037/2000 which has now been revoked. This Regulation is aimed at phasing-out the use of ozone depleting chemicals (see section 5 of Information Sheet RAC 3 for further details). Annex VI of this Regulation has been amended by Commission Regulation 744/2010 (PDF 760 KB) with regard to the critical uses of halons which came into force in September 2010.
Great Britain Regulations
- In Great Britain the Environmental Protection (Controls on Ozone-Depleting Substances) Regulations 2011 (SI 2011/1543), implement the EU regulation and prescribe offences and penalties applicable to infringements of the regulation. This applies to England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland (relating only to importation and exportation in Northern Ireland).
- The Ozone-Depleting Substances (Qualifications) Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/216), which apply to England, Wales and Scotland provide for minimum qualifications for those working on the recovery, recycling, reclamation or destruction of ODS and the prevention and minimising of leakages of ODS.
The full text of the statutory instruments are available on the Legislation.gov.uk site.
Who is affected?
The Regulations are of particular interest to all organisations, which produce, recover, recycle, reclaim, use, destroy or trade in ozone-depleting substances (ODS) or which operate refrigeration, air-conditioning or heat pump equipment, or fire protection systems, which contain ODS.
The Regulations will also be of interest to associations and members of associations which manufacture, install, service or recover ODS from commercial or domestic equipment which contain or rely on ODS, to producers of ODS, to those responsible for offshore oil and gas installations, and to enforcement authorities.
Companies in the stationary refrigerant and air conditioning sectors should be aware that the EC Regulations include a provision covering the phase out of hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) usage. The use of virgin HCFC to service and maintain existing refrigeration and air conditioning (RAC) has been banned since the 1st January 2010. Further details regarding the phase out can be found in the information sheet RAC 8 – HCFC Phase-out.
Companies involved in the fire protection systems and fire extinguisher sector should be aware that Halons are strictly monitored. The critical uses for halons are set out in Commission Regulation 744/2010 (PDF 760 KB).
There are legal obligations for companies and qualification requirements for personnel working in the industry sectors as well as other requirements relating to:
- leakage checking of equipment
- recovery of ODS from equipment during maintenance, servicing and at end of life
- reporting of annual ODS import, export, production and destruction figures
- Reporting of annual critical uses of halons figures and illegal trade
- labelling of equipment containing ODS (and inclusion of information in instruction manuals)
- placing on the market prohibitions for ODS in various products and equipment
Defra’s business support unit, F-Gas Support, was set up to provide guidance for manufacturers, operators, contractors and others that make, sell or work with ODS, fluorinated gases (F gas) and associated equipment. F-Gas Support has produced guidance to enable you to find out if the ODS obligations apply to you and which parts of your business are affected.
- Further information on F gas
- F-Gas Support Helpdesk: fgas-support@ enviros.com
Information by the European Commission on ODS is available at http://ec.europa.eu/clima/policies/ozone/index_en.htm
Information on how ODS affect businesses can also be found at Business Link
Ozone and UV monitoring programmes
Details of the UK Ozone and UV Monitoring programme can be found on the UK Stratospheric Ozone and UV Measurements pages.
Key Documents
Montreal Protocol on Substances which Deplete the Ozone Layer
Impact Assessment (PDF) – an impact assessment to accompany the new UK Regulations
A full set of information sheets can be found on the F Gas pages under stationary refrigeration, air conditioning (RAC) and heat pump. The sheets below are of direct relevance to ODS:
- RAC 1 – overview (PDF)
- RAC 2 – usage of F gases and ODS (PDF)
- RAC 3 – key obligations (PDF)
- RAC 4 – getting started (PDF)
- RAC 5 – certification of personnel and companies (PDF)
- RAC 6 – practical guidance (PDF)
- RAC 7 – refrigerant selection (PDF)
- RAC 8 – HCFC phase-out (PDF)