AREA is proud to announce that we have pledged to do our part in speaking out against illegally traded HFC gasses.
We will work within our network to promote the sourcing of HFC’s only from reliable and legal sources so consumers can use products and services with confidence.
So, what exactly is the problem?
Each year, large amounts of refrigerant gas is smuggled into countries in Europe. In numbers, this is up to 34 million tonnes CO2 or 33% of the legally allowed quota. That is the equivalent of adding 25 million cars to EU roads – the total amount of cars in Spain!
Directly relevant for AREA, HFC’s, short for Hydrofluorocarbons, are used in refrigeration and air conditioning systems.
Due to the high global warming potential (GWP) of some HFC refrigerants, their consumption is being phased down. In Europe, this phase down is managed with quotas that promote a gradual shift to lower GWP alternatives.
However, these quotas are being ignored by criminal organisations who make vast profits on the black market selling HFC’s and continue to increase the amount of HFC’s being circulated in Europe.
If this activity carries on, legitimate businesses will continue to be affected, and Europe cannot achieve its climate goals.
What can you do? Join the cause and help to spread the word! Sign the pledge here.
You can find more information about the pledge on the ‘’Stop Illegal Cooling’’ website developed by the European FluoroCarbons Technical Committee (EFCTC).