Illegal imports of fluorinated refrigerants into the EU
Why we are fighting illegal HFC trade
Safety
Some reported uses of illegal refrigerants led to:
- Freeze-up of expansion valves and evaporator tubes
- Corrosion and acid formation
- Overall system performance issue
This illegal product can be created with methyl chloride of hydrocarbons which are highly flammable and can be extremely hazardous to contractors during maintenance operations as well as end-users during the use of the installations
Environment
The phase-down of the HFCs is a major factor of the F-Gas regulation whose goal is to lower the impact of HFCs by gradually reducing the quantity that can be placed on the EU market through a quota system. The F-gas regulation is anticipated to allow the EU to meet its commitments under the Kigali amendment to the Montreal Protocol, avoiding a temperature increase of almost 0.5 degrees Celsius by the end of the century. The smuggling of illegal HFCs into the EU jeopardizes this effort.
Trade
The black market of illegal refrigerants is harmful to the local economy due to lost VAT and taxes. It is often a key source of revenue for organized criminal organizations. Allowing this black market to thrive further complicates and undermines national law-enforcement efforts to tackle organized crime.
Help us fight
Action line
We encourage our customers to report any suspicious activity using EFCTC's dedicated platform.
Report any suspicious activity
Pledge
We invite you to commit with us to help stop the illegal trade and sign the pledge.
To learn more about illegal imports https://stopillegalcooling.eu/