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Refrigerant cylinders F-gas

Australia’s federal government must consider emerging issues in Europe concerning refrigerant stockpiling and the need for accurate data as Australia moves towards an HFC phase-down. The government is expected to look to the EU as the model for fluorinated gas regulation aimed at dramatically reducing F-gas emissions – the target there being two thirds of … Continue reading Australia must learn from massive HFC stockpile prompted by EU F-Gas regulation

Airgas refrigerant recycling

International study rates Australian stewardship Australia leads the world for refrigerant management but the UK has the highest refrigerant recovery rate, according to a research report published recently by the US Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI). Billed as the biggest attempt ever to determine the refrigerant ‘lay of the land’ on a global scale, … Continue reading Australia leads the world at refrigerant management

Australian cash money

THE Australian Refrigeration Council (ARC) has hailed the Turnbull government’s announcement that it will proceed with the controversial ‘effects test’ and tackle the misuse of market power by big businesses as “a big win for small business”. ARC, which administers refrigerant handling licences and refrigerant trading authorisations on behalf of the federal government, described the … Continue reading ARC, VACC welcome effects test

The long-running campaign to force car manufacturers to share service and repair data with independent workshops is ramping up as the nation heads toward a federal election and as Australia’s competition regulator admits that the voluntary scheme appears to have been ineffective. Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) commissioner Roger Featherston told the 2016 Australian … Continue reading ACCC weighs in on repair information sharing

Fine for transporting flammable gas in van

Melbourne-based Cool Dynamics Refrigeration was fined $285,000 late last year over in incident in which a 25-year-old refrigeration mechanic died when his work van exploded. The case highlighted safety issues surrounding the transportation of dangerous goods – an issue that will become all the more acute as flammable refrigerants become the norm. The company was … Continue reading Fine for transporting flammable gas in van

A2L refrigerant not the cause of VIC accident

A Victorian Worksafe investigation is believed to be continuing after an air-conditioning unit exploded at a luxury home in the Melbourne bayside suburb of Brighton in February, causing severe burns to the tradesman working on the unit. A report in the Herald Sun newspaper said the 21-year-old was servicing the air-conditioning unit when it exploded … Continue reading A2L refrigerant not the cause of VIC accident

Arrests in USA for illegal hydrocarbon refrigerant use

Authorities in the United States including the FBI, EPA and US Department of Transportation are cracking down on the illegal sale of unapproved hydrocarbon refrigerants used in home air-conditioning systems, culminating in a series of arrests. In contrast to the situation in Australia, where the culture of enforcement is not nearly as strong, joint investigations … Continue reading Arrests in USA for illegal hydrocarbon refrigerant use

Audi Q7 e-tron heat pump compressor

Audi’s Q7 e-tron made headlines last year upon its unveiling at the Geneva motor show, billed as the world’s first TDI plug-in hybrid with quattro drive and the first plug-in hybrid with a diesel engine from the German prestige marque. With a 3.0-litre six-cylinder oil-burner and electric motor on-board, the big SUV emerged with 275kW … Continue reading Audi Q7 debuts cutting-edge heat pump tech

Carrier Transicold chiller systems with R744 (carbon dioxide) refrigerant

British supermarket Sainsbury’s has taken delivery of the first of three refrigerated trailers running Carrier Transicold chiller systems that use R744 (carbon dioxide) refrigerant, as it embarks on a three-year technology field trial. The grocery giant has form in this field as it scored a world first in 2013 when it piloted an R744 reefer … Continue reading CO2 supermarket reefers hit the road in UK trial