Fluorinated gas (F gas): guidance for users, producers and traders
Requirements if you work with F gas.
Fluorinated greenhouse gases (F gases) include:
- hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)
- perfluorocarbons (PFCs)
- sulphur hexafluoride (SF6)
This guidance affects anyone who:
- uses or services equipment that contains F gases, like refrigeration and air conditioning systems, solvents or aerosols
- produces, imports, exports or sells F gas or equipment containing F gas
Contact
If you have questions relating to the fluorinated greenhouse gas (F gas) and ozone depleting substances (ODS) online services, contact the Environment Agency.
The Environment Agency administers these services on behalf of Great Britain and is the regulator if the registered office for your organisation is in England.
Telephone: 03708 506 506 (find out about call charges)
Email: f-gassupport@environment-agency.gov.uk
If the registered office for your organisation is based in Scotland, Wales, offshore or your question is not related to F gas or ODS services in Great Britain, contact the relevant regulator.
Scotland
Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA)
Telephone: 0300 099 6699
Email: FGas_ODS@sepa.org.uk
Wales
Email: chemicals@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk
Offshore
Offshore Petroleum Regulator for Environment and Decommissioning (OPRED)
Email: OPRED@energysecurity.gov.uk
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is part of the European Union fluorinated greenhouse gas and ozone depleting substances system. If the registered office for your organisation is in Northern Ireland contact the Northern Ireland Environment Agency.
Email: nieainfo@daera-ni.gov.uk
Lists of F gas and how to calculate the carbon dioxide equivalent of an F gas
Read the list of F gases and calculate CO2 equivalent to understand where to apply F gas rules.
Find out about uses of F gases exempt from certain rules, including rules you must follow.
Producing, importing or exporting F gas and equipment
If you produce, import or export F gas and equipment pre-charged with F gas, you must follow the rules on:
- importing, exporting or manufacturing equipment pre-charged with F gas
- recording and reporting F gas and equipment pre-charged with F gas
You may also need to get quota, quota authorisations or quota delegations.
Importers and exporters may also need to read the guidance on:
- F gas exports rejected at an EU border control post
- moving F gas between Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Getting and transferring quota
If you produce or import F gas and plan to place it on the market in Great Britain, you will need quota, quota authorisations or quota delegations. You should either:
- apply for quota (for bulk gas only)
- check the list of incumbent F gas quota holders and authorisation managers to see where to get a transfer, authorisation or delegation of quota
F gas quota holders can transfer, authorise or delegate quota to another business.
Using or servicing F gas equipment
If you use or service equipment contain F gas, you may need to:
- have qualifications and company certification to work with F gas
- check certain F gas equipment for leaks
- record F gas in certain equipment you own or service
- recover, reclaim or recycle F gas
- follow rules for operating and servicing high voltage switchgear containing SF6
You should also check if the use of the F gas is banned.
Labelling F gas equipment
You must label all products you produce, import or install that contain regulated F gas.
Banned F gases
You must check if the use of an F gas is banned:
- for refilling equipment
- in new products and equipment, if you plan to place the F gas on the market in Great Britain
Selling F gas
You must follow certain rules if you sell F gas in cylinders or equipment.
Updates to this page
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Amended the contact information section.
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Added guidance on operating or servicing high voltage switchgear containing SF6 under ‘Using or servicing F gas equipment’.
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Added 2 new pages under "Producing, importing or exporting F gas and equipment" collection: "Import, export or manufacture equipment pre-charged with F gas" and "Incumbent F gas quota holders and authorisation managers in Great Britain."
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Added 'Moving F gas between Great Britain and Northern Ireland'.
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Added guidance on F gas exports rejected at an EU border control post.
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First published.