HAVE YOUR SAY: Public and industry review period extended for Automotive Air Conditioning Code of Practice until 31 December

VASA, with input from the automotive industry and support from the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW), is updating the Australian Automotive Code of Practice: Control of refrigerant gases during manufacture, installation, servicing or de-commissioning of motor vehicle air conditioners (the Code).

Having received good feedback to date and in the interest of ensuring everyone has an opportunity to be heard, the public and industry review period (originally scheduled to end on 8 December 2025) has been extended to 5pm AEDT on Wednesday 31 December 2025.

The aim of the Australian Automotive Air Conditioning Code of Practice is to minimise the emission of fluorocarbon refrigerants to the atmosphere from Australian automotive refrigerant-containing systems. It covers vehicle fitting, servicing, repair, disassembly, reassembly, commissioning, decommissioning and refrigerant recovery.

Compliance is mandatory for anyone holding a Refrigerant Handling Licence or Refrigerant Trading Authorisation through the Australian Refrigeration Council.

Originally published in 1997 with a revision in 2008, the Code required a comprehensive update to reflect current standards, regulations, safety practices, contemporary refrigerants and associated technology. The draft available for public comment reflects these updates and addresses the challenges of the multi-refrigerant marketplace with the introduction of new refrigerants.

This Code relates to all automotive systems and sub-systems that make use of a refrigerant, including HVAC systems and systems used to assist in the thermal management of components and vehicle sub-systems such as battery systems in hybrid and electric vehicles.

It covers passenger cars (including hybrid and electric vehicles), forward control passenger vehicles, off-road passenger vehicles, registerable commercial vehicles and omnibuses, and vehicles at end of life.

The draft Code is downloadable at https://vasa.org.au/copreview2025/ and open for public and industry review until 5pm AEDT on Wednesday 31 December 2025.

Comments are invited on the technical content, wording and general arrangement of the draft Code of Practice.

All comments should be submitted at https://vasa.org.au/copreview2025/ by 5pm AEDT on Wednesday 31 December 2025.

Guidance for providing feedback is provided below:

Feedback guidelines

Where you consider that specific content is too simplistic, too complex or incorrect, please suggest an alternative. Please provide supporting reasons and suggested alternative wording for each comment. Where appropriate, changes will be incorporated before the Code is published. If the draft is acceptable without change, an acknowledgement to this effect would be appreciated.

The draft Code is available in PDF format. Comments must be submitted in the following suggested format indicating relevant clause numbers, comments and proposed solutions for each comment:

Clause (number and page)

e.g. A.3 Preliminary inspection, page 5

Comment

e.g. The requirement for refrigerant analysis is listed as ‘should’ but given safety concerns with flammable refrigerants, this should be mandatory

Proposed solution

e.g. Change A.3.2 from ‘should’ to ‘must’ to make refrigerant identification mandatory prior to service

Submit comments to VASA

All comments should be submitted at https://vasa.org.au/copreview2025/ by 5pm AEDT on Wednesday 31 December 2025.