With these new legal requirements fast approaching, CRS Ireland is taking the initiative now, with a move to more eco-friendly equipment.
F GAS 2020
The new regulations, which come into effect on January 1st 2020, will require organisations selling commercial cold storage to reduce the global warming potential (GWP) of their units to combat the effects damaging F Gases have on the environment.
Once released into the atmosphere, F Gases can stay in the air for prolonged periods of time, creating a global warming hazard. New regulations hope to minimise this problem, whilst keeping cold storage effective and safe to use.
Types of unit Banned by the 2020 Regulations
Several types of unit will no longer be legal under the new 2020 regulation. Will your current cold storage still be safe to use?
Banned storage includes:
- Hermetically sealed, commercial refrigeration and freezing units containing hydroflurocarbons (HFCs) with a GWP of 2500 or more. Lowering to a GWP of 1500 or more by 2022.
- Stationary refrigeration equipment that relies on HFCs with a GWP of 2500 or more to function. Freezing units that that are designed to cool products at a temperature lower than -50 degrees centigrade are exempt from this.
- Movable air conditioning and foams that contain HFCs and have a GWP of 150 or more, except for when it’s required to meet UK safety standards.
Why CRS Ireland are Acting now
At CRS Ireland, we’re committed to designing and selling cold storage that has a low environmental impact. We care about the environment and know that some of the materials used in cold storage units can have an effect on the world around us. That’s why we’re changing the type of F GAS used in our units now, rather than waiting until 2020.
As the links between F Gases and global warming become clearer, we’re listening to the advice that’s been given to the cold storage community about the use of F GAS and how to tackle the problem.
By choosing refrigerant blends with a lower GWP, such as the R452A, we’re able to improve our eco-friendliness whilst still giving our customers a product that functions at an incredibly high standard. The R452A blend is a suitable alternative to both the R404A and R507; two of the most commonly used refrigerants in units today.
Not only is it better for the environment, studies have shown that it’s actually more energy efficient too. Alternative refrigerant blends can offer energy savings of around 7-12%.
We stock a range of commercial cold storage that meets current and future regulations, such as Thermoking’s new, eco-friendly R452A units, and are continuing to choose more environmentally sound options to lower the GWP of F Gases in our units. As EU regulations become tighter on HFCs and other F GAS types, we will continue to develop state or the art, environmentally friendly products for our customers.
