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| The laws and regulations listed below are valid in the Federal Republic of Germany. Other or additional laws and regulations may apply in other countries. |
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| Sources in other countries may be obtained from the responsible authorities. |
| The effects concerning the changing climate can be seen world-wide. The protection of the climate is therefore one of the most important tasks for the human race. This task is a massive challenge for all concerned. |
| The so called Kyoto Protocol defines, amongst other items, world-wide targets to protect the climate. This protocol defines apart from the reduction targets for carbon dioxide, the reduction targets for fluoride containing greenhouse gases e.g. for refrigerant R134a due to the high greenhouse potential. |
| Within Europe a large number of respective statutes exist for the motor industry. Nationally (Federal Republic of Germany) for example in addition to European legislation, from the 1st of August 2008 the climate protective regulation concerning chemicals comes into force. |
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| Regulation (EU) No. 1005/2009 |
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| Regulation (EU) No. 842/2006 |
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| Regulation (EU) No. 706/2007 |
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| Regulation (EU) No. 307/2008 |
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| Climate protective regulation concerning chemicals; closed substance cycle waste management and ensuring environmentally compatible waste disposal (only Germany) |
| Maintenance and repairs to refrigerant circuits for air conditioning systems |
| All personnel performing maintenance and repairs on air conditioning systems for motorized vehicles must have attended the respective training programme and have the appropriate knowledge (certified). Other legislation may apply outside the European Union. |
| In general the following applies: |
| Operation, maintenance, decommissioning, duty to accept returned material |
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| It is prohibited to allow the release into the atmosphere of materials contained in products containing refrigerants during the operation, maintenance or removal from service of such products. |
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| The quantities used during operation and maintenance work should be documented (see Refrigerant operation journal, → Volkswagen-ServiceNet, Handbooks, Service handbook, Environmental Protection; Emission protection) and must be presented to the responsible authorities upon demand. A record sheet need no longer be kept within the EU due to respective European parliament legislation from 2005. Other legislation may apply in countries not belonging to the EU. |
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| Companies which sell materials and preparations listed in the above mentioned legislation have the duty of accept returned materials and preparations after they have been used, or to ensure that a specified third party will accept them. |
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| Maintenance work and decommissioning of products that contain refrigerant referred to in the above mentioned legislation as well as the acceptance of returned substances and preparations referred to in this legislation may only be carried out by persons who have the necessary specialist knowledge and technical equipment. |
| Offences and breaches of the regulations |
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| A person is in breach of the regulations and laws referred to if that person acts with willful impropriety or negligently when operating, performing maintenance work on or decommissioning products that contain the refrigerants referred to, contrary to the norms of technical practice, allows the substances contained in them to escape into the atmosphere or willfully or negligently breaches the applicable regulations and laws mentioned above. |
| TRG (Technical Rules for Pressurised Gases) 400, 401, 402 |
| The following paragraphs are only extracts relevant to vehicle manufacturers and workshops. |
| TRG 400 (General regulations for charging systems) |
| 2. Specification of terms and explanations |
| 2.1.1 Charging systems are systems for charging locally mobile pressurised gas containers. The charging system's operational facilities and furnishings are part of the charging system. |
| 2. 4 Charging systems requiring permits |
| Charging systems that require authorisation are charging systems which are filled with pressurised gases in mobile gas pressure vessels for transfer to other vessels. |
| 5 Charging systems that do not require a permit are mobile charging systems in which pressurised gases are transferred to gas pressure vessels for exclusive use of one company. |
| TRG 401 (Setting up of charging systems) |
| This does not apply to vehicle manufacturers and workshops. |
| TRG 402 (Operation of charging systems) |
| 2. Employees and their instruction |
| 2. 1 Charging systems may be operated and maintained only by persons who |
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| Are at least 18 years of age |
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| Possess the required technical knowledge |
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| Can be expected to fulfil their duties reliably. |
| 2. 2 Supervised work may be done by persons who do not fulfil the requirements according to Number 2.1, lines 1 and 2. |
| 2. 3 Employees are to be instructed in the following points before beginning work and at regular, appropriate intervals, but at least annually: |
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| The particular hazards arising when handling gases under pressure, |
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| The safety regulations, particularly the existing TRG, |
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| The actions to be taken in the event of defects, damage and accidents, |
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| The handing of fire extinguishers and protective equipment, |
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| The operation and maintenance of charging systems, with particular reference to the user's manual. |
| Charging (a special TRG applies to foreign containers and their charging) |
| A gas pressure vessel may be charged only with the compressed gas that is listed on its label, and only up to the quantity shown on the vessel in terms of pressure, weight and volume (see g15 section 2 of the pressure vessel regulations). |
| 2. A container that can be used for more different types of compressed gas must have a label on it listing the pressurised gases with which it may be charged, and if the compressed gas concerned has a tc ≥ -10° C (tc = critical temperature), the greatest permissible charging weight in accordance with TRG 104 no. 3. 3 must also be indicated on the container before it can be connected for charging. |
| 3. Gas pressure vessels for which the highest permissible charge positive pressure at 15° C is given in bar must be charged by pressure gauge. If during charging the temperature differs from 15° C, the pressure corresponding to the different temperature should be determined by the charging equipment; it must be ensured that the permissible positive pressure for charging at 15° C in the gas pressure vessel is not exceeded. To determine possible overcharging, the charged containers must be checked through random pressure tests. |
| 4. Pressurised containers on which the maximum permissible charging quantity is indicated by the net weight (charged weight, permissible weight of the contents) in kilograms must be charged according to weight (gravimetrically). The containers must be weighed during charging and, to determine possible overcharging subsequently subjected to a weight check on a special scale. Scales for control weighing must be calibrated. |
| 5. Under particular conditions, gases with tc ≥ +70° C from gas pressure vessels of no more than 150l volumetric contents may be charged into a gas pressure vessel of no more than 1000 ccm volumetric contents. The conditions of the TRG apply to charging mechanic's bottles with liquid gas. |
| (1) gases with tc ≥ +70° C (see TRG 101 appendix 3) |
| (2) technical gas mixtures with tc ≥ +70° C (see TRG 102 appendix 1 group 3) or |
| (3) Very cold liquid gases (see TRG 103) in variance to no. 4 may be charged by volume (volumetrically), if the charging device and/or the container with equipment is equipped with devices for measuring or limiting the volume of the charge and (except vehicle containers to no. 3) for measuring the temperature of the charge. When charging by volume it must be ensured that the permitted charge weight shown on the container is not exceeded. To determine possible overcharging, the charged containers are to be checked gravimetrically on a calibrated scale or – provided that the pressurised gases are not highly toxic – volumetrically. Volumetric checking presupposes that the appropriate equipment is in place; charging and checking equipment must be independent of each other. |
| 7. The charge and check measurements must not be performed by the same person. Check measurements must be performed immediately upon conclusion of the charging process. |
| 8. Overcharged containers must be discharged immediately to the permissible charge quantity and in a manner without hazard. Following this, the quantity of compressed gas charged must be determined once again. |
| 9. Numbers 4 through 7 do not apply to containers for deep-cooled liquid pressurised gases which are neither flammable nor toxic; regulations for traffic law remain unaffected. |
| 10. When gas pressure vessels are to be charged with gases in the liquid state at charging temperatures ≤ -20° C, the gas pressure vessel (if the vessel material is not tested for temperatures ≤ -20° C) must be released from the charging system for transportation only when the vessel wall has achieved a temperature ≥ +20° C. |
| Statutes and regulations concerning the use and disposal of refrigerants and refrigerant machine oils are contained within the climate protective regulation concerning chemicals and closed substance cycle waste management and ensuring environmentally compatible waste disposal (only for Germany, in other countries other statutes and regulations may apply). |
| Converting R12 refrigerant circuits to R134a refrigerant circuits and repairing them (retrofitting) |
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| Due to the environmental situation and the ensuing legislation, refrigerant R12 is currently neither in production nor available. Refrigerant R134a was developed as a replacement for R12. |
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| However, air conditioning systems developed and designed for refrigerant R12 cannot simply be charged with refrigerant R134a. To ensure trouble-free operation of the air conditioning system following a retrofit, various components of the refrigerant circuit must be replaced. |
| Maintaining records on refrigerant |
| According to the environmental statistics law, a record concerning the use of refrigerants must be kept. |
| Car manufacture and repair businesses must be prepared to furnish information concerning use of refrigerants to the statistical office for the country in which the work is being performed. It is therefore recommended to keep records of the amounts of refrigerant handled during operation and maintenance (Daily Refrigerant Logbook) and the logbook produced to competent authorities on request. |
Note | A record sheet need no longer be kept within the EU due to respective European parliament legislation from 2005. Other legislation may apply in countries not belonging to the EU. |
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