F-Gas success as 90% of industry complies
Nearly 90% of the companies that are F-Gas registered have been certified by Refcom, the registration body for F-Gas certification. This is the first time that Defra has reported the total number of certificated business, at 5038. The rate of compliance is between 85 and 90%.
Steve Crocker, secretary of Refcom, said, ‘Those who have been involved with the original drafting of the F-Gas regulations (2001) have known that they would need to police themselves, as Defra always said it did not have the resources to continually inform, update or prosecute the industry at large.
‘Therefore it is good news to say that there have been no prosecutions on non-compliant companies yet. The fact that the majority of companies are abiding fully by he regulations and complying with registration companies proves the conviction within the industry to ensure standard are maintained.’
It was in 2009 that Refcom was appointed by the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food & Rural Affairs to operate a compulsory certification register in compliance with the F-Gas Regulation. The appointment was prompted by Refcom having operated a register of companies competent to manage refrigerants since 1994.
If a campaign to persuade the 10 to 15% of companies not registered fails, Steve Crocker says that he has assurances from the Environment Agency and Defra that ‘they will chase own any and all non-compliance’.
