International. The Prosecutor's Office of Environment and Urbanism and Seprona of the Civil Guard recently carried out an operation that discovered the illegal export and irregular management as hazardous waste of about 10 tons of R-22 refrigerant gas by a company located in Valencia, Spain, that intended to export them to Panama as regenerated gases.
The Association of Cold Companies and their Technologies (Aefyt) of Spain expressed itself before this event, explaining that this operation has been possible thanks to the mechanisms established in Europe to control the use or trade of these substances through the licensing system (ODS Licensing System) and mandatory communications for companies that market refrigerant gases. "One of the demands of the cold sector to fight against the illegal trafficking of refrigerant gases is the reinforcement of customs control mechanisms, as well as the increase in sanctions. This operation is a sign of the need to continue along this path to stop the activities of traffickers," said Roberto Solsona, president of Aefyt.
Other measures suggested by the sector are related to the improvement of HFC surveillance systems in exporting countries, the prohibition of the use of non-disposable cylinders and the improvement of the transparency of the quota system. In Spain, the application of the Tax on Fluorinated Greenhouse Gases (IGFEI) has been an added incentive to the illegal purchase of refrigerant gases due to the increase in their cost.
The dimensions of the problem have continued to grow since the European Union approved restrictions on the marketing and use of high GWP (Global Warming Potential) refrigerant gases. The study "Open Doors: the flourishing illegal trade of hydrofluorocarbons in Europe" of the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) indicates that the illegal trafficking of this type of refrigerants grew in 2018 by 16%, which means 16.3 million tons of CO2-equivalent illegally distributed in the European Union.
Another case in Europe noted that Polish police intercepted a cache of 25 tons of illegal refrigerants – R13A, R404A and R410A – worth almost 600,000 euros and Bulgarian authorities have found 96 cylinders with 1,123.2 kilograms of R134a and R404A. With regard to the operation of the Civil Guard, this would have meant an economic benefit of between half a million and one million euros, in addition to almost 17,000 tons of CO2 emitted into the atmosphere.
Source: Aefyt.
