FETA squares up to legislation issues
Legislative issues continue to be major concerns for members of FETA (Federation of Environmental Trade Associations). One of the most significant, as highlighted by FETA chairman Mike Lawrence at the association’s annual lunch last month, is refrigerants — including the final phasing out of HCFC with its ozone-depleting potential and the growing pressure on HFCs because of their global-warming potential.
Member organisation the British Refrigeration Association has set up a working group PURR (Putting into Use Replacement Refrigerants), which is due to issue a report.
Previous efforts have been to try to ensure that legislation would be workable and achieve its desired objective. The next 10 years or so will involve taking the necessary actions to comply, which is seen as not being easy but technically possible.
Mike Lawrence said, ‘Another piece of legislation that has made, and will continue to make, considerable demands on us is the Ecodesign Directive. Any product group can get caught up in this. About nine product groups that affect our members are entwined in this system.’
With the EU having recently announced that it is going to study the system with a view to revising it, FETA, with other associations and multinational groups of which FETA is a member, is acting to improve the basic methodology of this directive. Mike Lawrence stressed, ‘I must make it clear that the intention of this directive is good, and its correct use should be beneficial.
Back in the UK, many HEVAC groups are involved in the CIBSE initiative to look at the revision of the Part L (Building Regulations) compliance guides in advance of future Government Requirements.
