The Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Industry Board is putting pressure on the government to implement a mandatory registration scheme for companies and individuals that work with F-gas.

ACRIB is looking to generate support across the industry following Defra’s consultation on further implementation measures on F-gases and ozone-depleting substance regulations.

It is calling for a compulsory, centralised scheme whereby companies apply for membership and are registered with REFCOM, the currently voluntary scheme for the heating and ventilation industry, which ACRIB believes is fit for purpose on an industry-wide scale.

It is hoped this approach could also root out unscrupulous practitioners by making the details of those registered available to view online.

Mike Nankivell, chairman of the ACRIB F-gas implementation group, said: “What we did as an industry was work with Defra and the European Commission to encourage the regulation to include a requirement for a company registration scheme.

“What we’re looking to do in addition to this – which the government is a bit hesitant about – is to introduce an individual registration scheme, complementary to the company scheme, which is called the ACRIB register.

“REFCOM would hold the register of companies dealing with the handling of refrigerants, and the ACRIB register would hold all the individuals qualified to handle those refrigerants.”

Under the proposals, membership would be renewable every three to five years. It would help those registered to keep informed of industry developments, training and legislation changes.

ACRIB hopes that, pending a review over the coming months, a mandatory system of registration will be put in place by February 2009.

Source

Building Sustainable Design