Hazardous waste: Refrigeration equipment

New controls on ozone depleting substances require the disposal of waste fridges and refrigeration equipment in an environmentally sound manner. For further information on how to dispose of fridges and freezers see below.

Background

European Council Regulation No. 2037/2000 on substances that deplete the ozone layer, which came into effect in October 2001, requires Member States to remove ozone depleting substances (ODS) (including CFCs and HCFCs) from refrigeration equipment before such appliances are scrapped. This requirement came into force immediately for industrial and commercial appliances and applied to domestic appliances from 1 January 2002.

Support, guidance and documents

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

These FAQs are designed to address the issues related to ozone depleting substances within waste refrigeration equipment, and are not intended to provide a comprehensive review of the Regulation.

If you require further information on the application of the Regulation to the manufacture, supply and use of controlled ODS please consult:

Contents

What fridges and freezers are covered by the Regulation?

Council Regulation No 2037/2000 on Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS), covers fridges and freezers which contain CFCs and/or HCFCs either in the refrigerant of the cooling system or as a blowing agent in the insulating foam.

Many manufacturers stopped using CFCs as refrigerant in the mid-1990's but HCFCs continued to be used as a blowing agent for the insulating foam for several years after. For this reason the majority of refrigerators currently entering the waste stream will require treatment.

What fridges and freezers are not covered by the Regulation?

Refrigerators that do not contain CFCs or HCFCs in either the refrigerant or the foam do not require treatment. I understand that in your own case your waste products are generally under 12 months old as they are warrantee returns and that you have documentation to demonstrate they do not contain CFCs or HCFCs. In this case the refrigerators may be disposed of via normal routes in the same way as they would have been dealt with before 1 January.

How many fridges are disposed of or recycled every year?

It is estimated that up to 3 million domestic refrigeration (fridges, fridge-freezers and freezers) units are disposed of in the UK each year. Although there is less data available, it is believed that around a further half million commercial units are also replaced annually.

What ozone depleting substances are covered by the Regulation?

The new EC Regulation affects the supply and use of all ozone depleting substances. These substances are mainly used in refrigeration, air-conditioning, foam blowing, as solvents and in fire fighting. The substances covered include: chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs).

What part of the fridge contains ODS?

Refrigerants may be found in the circulating coolant system of a fridge. In addition they may have been used as a blowing agent for the polyurethane foam used to insulate the unit.

What requirements are there to remove ODS from refrigeration equipment?

Controlled substances should be recovered for destruction, or for recycling or reclamation during the servicing and maintenance of equipment, or before the dismantling or final disposal of equipment.

For fridges and freezers this applies to any controlled ODS used as the refrigerant and/or the blowing agent (in the insulation foam). As the insulation foam is integral to units specialised facilities to extract ODS from the foam are necessary.

How can I tell if a fridge/freezer contains ozone depleting substances?

The age of the appliance is in general an important determinant:

  • prior to 1994 almost all appliances used CFCs as both refrigerant (CFC R12) and as foam blowing agent (CFC R11);
  • after 1994 these were mainly replaced with HFC as refrigerant (R134a) and HCFC foam blowing agent (R141b or R142b/R22);
  • modern fridges are generally manufactured using HFC (R134a) or hydrocarbon (HC600a) refrigerants and hydrocarbon blowing agents.

Most fridges are also marked with an 'appliance rating plate' - a metal plate or sticky label which is found on the back of the appliance. The plate contains information about the appliance, for example model and serial number. In most cases it will also state what refrigerant was used in the appliance. Fridges that are marked with R12 or R134a on the plate will most probably have CFC or HCFC in the insulation foam and should be treated accordingly, unless there is evidence to suggest otherwise.

What about units which have been refurbished/serviced?

Where a refrigerator unit has been refurbished since 1994 it is likely that the ODS refrigerant will have been removed and replaced by a non-CFC alternative. This should be recorded on the maintenance record of the appliance. However such appliances will probably contain CFC in the insulating foam and should be disposed of accordingly.

Can I still refurbish and sell refrigeration equipment that contains CFCs?

Yes, assuming that fridges have been shown to be manufactured before the entry into force of the Regulation (30 September 2000). This only applies to sales of units within the EU. If the unit requires servicing including removal of CFC refrigerant, then it cannot be refilled with CFCs - an alternative refrigerant must be used.

Can refrigerators be exported for re-use overseas?

The Regulation places a general ban on the export of used, recycled and reclaimed ozone-depleting substances to countries outside the European Union. They also prohibit the export of products and equipment containing CFCs or whose continuing function relies on supply of CFCs. Prospective exporters must satisfy themselves that any equipment to be exported contains no CFCs (including in the insulation foam as of 1 January 2002).

  • Exports of refrigeration equipment containing HCFCs, to any State not Party to the Montreal Protocol, shall be prohibited from 1 January 2004;
  • Exports to Parties to the Montreal Protocol may continue until 31 December 2009.

Can waste fridges and freezers still be recycled?

Yes. However, the UK currently has no facilities capable of extracting CFCs from insulation foam before the refrigerators are recycled, although there are a number of companies that are keen to invest in plant. As no facilities will be on-line by 1 January 2002, we are developing guidance for the storage of these units until the necessary facilities come on-line (see separate question on storage, below).

There will now be a cost associated with the recycling of waste refrigeration equipment. Although, local authorities are obliged to accept refrigerators or freezers from households at a civic amenity site free-of-charge. Local authorities are also obliged to provide a collection service for bulky household items, although they can charge for a collection cost.

Units can be exported to other Member States for recycling, although capacity on the continent may be limited.

What about commercial refrigeration equipment?

Commercial refrigeration equipment is subject to the same provisions as domestic equipment, i.e. all ODS must be removed before scrapping of the units. Local authorities are not obliged to take commercial waste. Commercial traders will therefore need to identify storage facilities for their units pending treatment. Guidance for the storage of units has now been released and can be found in the link below.

Can I export waste refrigeration equipment for processing in other Member States?

Exports of waste, to other Member States, destined for recovery operations are permitted. However, we understand that there may be limited capacity for receiving units on the continent. Any exports would be subject to transfrontier shipments (TFS) legislation and would need to be approved by the Environment Agency, and the other Competent Authorities. For information regarding the necessary control procedures, please contact:

TFS National Service
Environment Agency
'Mirwell'
Carrington Lane
Sale
M33 5NL

Tel: 0161 973 2237
Fax: 0161 976 4358

Will there be a UK standard for the extraction of CFCs from waste refrigeration equipment?

Draft standards for the removal of ODS from insulating foam and from refrigerant are now available on the Environment Agency web site - www.environment-agency.gov.uk/business/wasteman/fridges/.

Contacts

If you have any further queries regarding these, or related, issues, please contact:

For England waste.policy@defra.gsi.gov.uk

For Wales environmental.protection.division@wales.gsi.gov.uk

For Scotland waste.team@scotland.gov.uk

For Northern Ireland tim.irwin@doeni.gov.uk

This information has been compiled by Defra to provide guidance to stakeholders on the provisions and likely impacts of the EC Regulation No 2037/2000. It should not be relied upon as a definitive statement of the law and is not a substitute for legal advice. Interpretation of the law is a matter for the courts.

Page last modified: 26 June 2006
Page published: 5 February 2003