Refrigerants and insulation materials

Industrial cooling equipment has insulated panels for thermal and sound insulation. Insulation materials include foam and mineral wool.

Your choice of refrigerants and the technique you use to charge them to cooling machinery have a significant bearing on the environmental risks of the process. For example, the release into the air of volatile hydrocarbons can cause damage to the ozone layer.

What you must do

Insulation and refrigerant charging can have significant impacts on air quality and can cause noise pollution. You may need to take steps to control noise and emissions to air from your premises.

A number of ozone depleting substances that were used in the manufacture of cooling equipment are now banned in most instances. These include:

  • chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
  • hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs)
  • halons.

There will be a ban on the use of virgin HCFCs for the maintenance and servicing of refrigeration and air-conditioning systems from 1 January 2010 and a ban on the use of all HCFCs from 1 January 2015.

If you work with refrigerants or ozone depleting substances you must hold a valid certificate of competence from City & Guilds or the Construction Industry Training Board.

Fluorinated gases (F-gases) are powerful greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming and climate change.

Common uses of F-gases include:

  • refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment in buildings and vehicles
  • solvents
  • firefighting and fire protection equipment.

If your business uses or handles F-gases or equipment that contains them, you must:

  • make sure that you do not release F-gases
  • recover F-gases during servicing and decommissioning of equipment
  • only use qualified personnel to service, install and decommission equipment
  • label products and equipment containing F-gases
  • keep records about the type and amount of F-gases your equipment contains and your equipment’s service history
  • dispose of waste F-gases and equipment correctly.

For further information see our guidance on ozone depleting substances and F-gases.

Ozone depleting substances (ODS) and fluorinated gases (F-gases)

Ammonia is highly toxic and you should never allow it to enter watercourses or surface water drains. Ensure that this does not happen by preventing leaks and spills.
Your activities may produce effluent, for example from testing water cooling circuits, leak detection fluids and any water that may have absorbed ammonia.

You must not make any discharge to surface water or groundwater without consulting your environmental regulator. If you discharge without an authorisation, permit or consent from your environmental regulator you could be prosecuted and fined or imprisoned.

Water pollution

You must not discharge trade effluent to a public sewer without trade effluent consent or a trade effluent agreement with your water and sewerage company or authority. If you discharge without a consent or agreement you could be prosecuted and fined or imprisoned.

Trade effluent - discharges to sewers

During the manufacture of cooling equipment, compressor oils are added to the system. If you store oil you should check whether you are affected by the Oil Storage Regulations.
You must comply with your Duty of Care responsibilities when dealing with waste.
You may need to deal with hydrofluorocarbons and sludges or solid wastes containing halogenated organic solvents as hazardous/special waste.

Good practice
  • Replace hoses when they show signs of age or physical damage.
  • When charging equipment, use hoses and lines that are as short as possible and fitted with isolating valves. This will minimise emissions to air.
  • Recover the refrigerant displaced during filling and when you clear your lines after use.
  • Never vent ozone-depleting substances into the atmosphere or use a refrigerant for flushing. Use a flushing agent or dry nitrogen for flushing.
  • Take care not to overfill refrigeration systems.
  • When not in use, ensure container valves are closed, the valve outlet cover nut is fitted and the valve protection cover is replaced. This will prevent leaks.
  • Store your refrigerant containers in a cool place, away from the risk of fire and sources of direct heat.
  • Check valve seats, ‘o’ rings and gaskets before charging equipment with refrigerants. Test your system using vacuum or positive pressure tests.
  • Your water company or authority may not accept water that is contaminated with ammonia, in which case you may have to dispose of it as hazardous/special waste.