Cylinder switch
November 1st 2006 BOC is urging the UK buildings maintenance sector to change the type of gas cylinders used to topup air conditioning units ahead of a Europe-wide ban on the use of disposable cylinders. The ban, due on 4 July 2007, is part of EC 842/ 2006 which governs use, labelling and containment of a range of fluorinated gases, including R134a, R404A, R407C and R410A which contribute to global warming. Thousands of contractors and buildings maintenance engineers across the UK rely on refrigerants supplied in portable 13kg gas cylinders to restore air conditioning units. Discarding of near empty cylinders into landfills has led to an estimated 80t of the residual gas leaking to atmosphere every year. From July, refrigerants need to be sourced in non-disposable cylinders with disposables returned to the supplier for the gas to be recycled or disposed of legally. BOC says its non-disposable cylinders provide benefits, including hassle-free disposal, secure supply and safety training and checks. More articles from BOC (Linde Group): | 
