Brexit has brought many changes, and in End-of-Life Vehicle (ELV) management, it has meant a change in the qualification needed by Authorised Treatment Facilities (ATFs) to remove F-Gas air conditioning gases from ELVs. Identifying this as a potential issue for its Network, ELVES stepped in and developed its F-Gas Pilot project, providing Quality and Qualifications (QQI) certified Mobile Air Conditioning (MAC) training to ATFs in its Network. To complement this, ELVES supported the authorities in the development of guidance documents for ATFs on this important issue.
Under the F-Gas Regulations, a person removing F-Gas air conditioning gases from ELVs at an ATF is required to have an F-Gas MAC Certificate of qualification. This Certificate must be issued within the EU. With UK issued certificates no longer recognised, in April 2021 ELVES rolled out its first round of QQI certified F-Gas MAC training provided by the Limerick and Clare Training Board. Another round of training followed in September 2021, bringing the number of training days delivered to 13. With two per class, this meant 26 people had successfully completed the training by the end of 2021 and are now qualified to remove these gases from ELVs.
In late 2021, ELVES worked with the EPA to develop an ATF specific Guidance Document concerning the removal of air conditioning gases. The resulting guidance is available to download from the EPAs website, as well as from the ATF dedicated webpage on the ELVES website.
Not stopping there, ELVES latest work in this area has been the development of a A3 Poster for ATFs, summarising the EPAs recent guidance. The poster entitled How can my ATF meet its obligations around Air Conditioning (AC) System Gases will be distributed to ATFs and is available for download on the ELVES website.
The provision of F-Gas MAC Certificate training is ongoing, with the next round of trainees due to complete the qualification in June 2022. Demand for training places is high and there is a limited number of training providers in Ireland currently able to offer the qualification. ELVES expects to be able to offer at least one more round of training before the end of the year.
Further Information:
The removal of air conditioning gasses from scrap cars is part of the depollution process when a vehicle arrives at an Authorised Treatment Facility (ATF). In addition to this being required under the End-of-Life Vehicle (ELV) Regulations, the gases to be removed include F-Gases (Fluorinated Greenhouse gases), and so are also governed by the F-Gas Regulations. The F-Gas Regulations stipulate recognised training is required for those that undertake this step in the depollution process.
The following guidance documents are available for download from the ELVES Website:
Recovery of Air Conditioning System Fluids from ELVs at Authorised Treatment Facilities (ATFs) and Metal Shredder Sites (EPA Guidance)
How can my ATF meet its obligations around Air Conditioning (AC) System Gases (ELVES Summary A3 poster of EPA Guidance)
Information on the F-Gas MAC Certificate (F-Gas Handling in Mobile Air Conditioning Systems 5N0106 award) training provided through ELVES, can also be found on the ELVES website.
For further information about the changes to F-Gas qualifications brought about by Brexit see www.epa.ie
