VASA’s Annual General Meeting took place on August 2 at the QT Gold Coast hotel in Surfers Paradise. In his annual report speech, VASA President Ian Stangroome told of the successful secretariat move to Ormeau in Queensland, giving VASA a more efficient and centralised infrastructure plus dedicated office space and staff. These facilities are kindly … Continue reading 2014 VASA AGM report
THE Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Contractors Association (RACCA) is waging a campaign to prevent abolition of the Refrigeration Air Conditioning License in New South Wales. RACCA’s campaign has gained the support of VASA, the Air Conditioning and Mechanical Contractors’ Association (AMCA) and the Electrical Trades Union (ETU). Industry was not consulted over the proposal, which … Continue reading RACCA fights to save NSW Refrigeration & A/C License
THE Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has outlined how it expects industry to deal with the retrospective nature of the Carbon Tax repeal. Because the Carbon Tax repeal legislation will not pass before July 1, the repeal will be applied retrospectively once passed, meaning importers of synthetic greenhouse gases (such as HFC refrigerants) have … Continue reading Carbon Tax repeal: ACCC’s refrigerant pricing expectations
TWO people have been seriously injured in Perth, Western Australia by a vehicle explosion involving flammable hydrocarbon refrigerants. Both victims were occupants of the vehicle when hydrocarbon refrigerant was suddenly released into the cabin and ignited. The explosion involved a older commercial vehicle that was around 14 years old. Flammable hydrocarbon refrigerant, rather than industry … Continue reading Stop press: Two injured in Perth HC refrigerant explosion
THE Emission Reduction Fund white paper released late last month contains no easy pathways for the air-conditioning or refrigerant industries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions in post Carbon Tax Australia. Refrigerants Australia executive director Greg Picker told VASA eNews the kind of activity already undertaken by VASA and its members are the best way … Continue reading No carrot or stick for air-con, refrigerant industries in Emissions Reduction Fund white paper
THE European refrigerant fiasco continues, with the threat of antitrust action now hanging over Honeywell and DuPont in the European Union over HFO-1234yf while Mercedes-Benz owner Daimler is definitely allowed to keep selling new models that use R134a in France. As HFO-1234yf is the only refrigerant that meets the standards set out in the European … Continue reading Honeywell, DuPont face EU antitrust action as France clears Daimler
COUNTERFEIT refrigerants appear to be flooding the huge Chinese market, with the worrying trend of ozone-depleting R12 often masquerading as R134a. The news comes soon after Chinese authorities prosecuted two companies for producing fake Honeywell refrigerants and DuPont reached a settlement with a company in the Philippines for supplying fake Chinese-sourced refrigerants found to be … Continue reading Fake Chinese R134a is ozone-depleting R12
Workshops using hydrocarbon refrigerants in vehicle air-conditioning systems could be pursued by insurance companies if any damage to a vehicle is caused by the use of flammable gases. This is in addition to the myriad possible refrigerant handling or occupational health and safety infringements that could occur during the process of filling an air-conditioning system … Continue reading Insurance headache for hydrocarbon refrigerants
AUSTRALIA’S Clean Energy Regulator has released data on the carbon tax liabilities of companies affected by the carbon tax, with the combined bill totalling more than $4 billion in the financial year 2012-13. That’s a lot of money for a 0.1 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, from 546.2 million tonnes in the financial … Continue reading Carbon tax: cost-benefit analysis
WORKSHOPS are advised to avoid refrigerants that have emerged on the Australian market illegally supplied in disposable cylinders. Both R134a and flammable refrigerants have recently been found in the wrong type of cylinder, both posing their own risks. Apart from the use of disposable cylinders being prohibited (and dangerous in the case of flammable refrigerants), … Continue reading Avoid refrigerants in disposable cylinders
