How F-gas regulations are enforced
Several organisations enforce the fluorinated greenhouse gas (F-gas) regulations. If you do not comply you can be fined.
New guidance from GOV.UK: Fluorinated gases and ozone-depleting substances: how to do business from 1 January 2021
In Northern Ireland legislation on F-gases is enforced as follows
| Regulating organisation | Type of equipment/machinery |
|---|---|
| Local councils or the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) in particular cases | Commercial and retail businesses/ Industrial sites not covered by the NIEA, i.e. not part A installations |
| NIEA | Part A installations. Offshore installations used for the generation of energy from water or wind. |
| Department of Energy and Climate Change | Offshore installations other than those used for the generation of energy from water and wind. |
The Secretary of State (in practice, usually the GB Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC)) must enforce these Regulations in relation to offshore installations.
In Scotland legislation on F-gases is enforced as follows
| Regulating organisation | Type of equipment/machinery |
|---|---|
| Local councils | Commercial and retail businesses/Industrial sites not covered by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) |
| SEPA | Industrial facilities with pollution prevention and control permits |
| The Scottish ministers through Marine Scotland | Offshore oil, gas, water and wind installations |
Regulating organisations can ensure compliance with F-gas legislation by serving information notices and enforcement notices. Breach of a requirement under an enforcement notice would be an offence.
Information notices
These may be issued to people by regulators in order to obtain further information within set deadlines. Failure to comply with the terms of an information notice is considered grounds for the issue of an enforcement notice.
Enforcement notices
Regulators issue enforcement notices if they suspect that businesses are in breach of the regulations. They include a description of the problem, how it can be solved and the date by which it must be fixed.
Advice and guidance
F-gas Support provide targeted advice and guidance to help businesses comply with their legal requirements. This UK wide service is now provided by the Environment Agency.
f-gassupport@environment-agency.gov.uk