Barwil Unitor alerts the industry to new EU legislation. From 4 July, HFC refrigerants in disposable cylinders will be banned in the EU or on EU-flagged ships.
"This legislation started with the Kyoto Protocol and its goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The EU is banning disposable HFC refrigerant cylinders because, firstly, their disposal wastes resources, and secondly, they are almost never completely empty. The remnants often end up released to the atmosphere," says Barwil Unitor Product Manager Hans-Joachim Koblischke.
Disposable HFC refrigerant cylinders like those that will soon be banned have been popular in shipping because they are convenient, lightweight and highly portable – perfect for reefer containers and remote air-conditioning and refrigeration systems.
Starting 4 July this year, EC Regulation 842/2006 prohibits the sale of disposable cylinders for common HFC refrigerants like R-134a, R-404a, R-407c, R-417a and others. This ban applies to the territory of the European Union, as well as EU flagged ships. As a result, the regulation impacts shipping companies with EU flagged vessels, charters transporting reefer containers on EU flagged vessels and, obviously, the supply network.
"This is a great opportunity for the shipping industry to show its commitment to following the green path set up for it by the EU. The challenge to most shipowners is one of information and supply in this context; they need to get the word out about this new rule in their organisation and ensure their supply in refillable cylinders," says Koblischke.
For more information on regulation 842/2006, see eur-lex.europa.eu. For more information about Barwil Unitor's Unicool line of refillable HFC refrigerant cylinders, see www.barwilunitor.com.
For further information contact:
Katja Korhonen
Marketing manager, Barwil Unitor Ships Service
Cell: (+47) 402 84 887
E-mail: katja.j.korhonen@wilhelmsen.com