A plain-language guide to UK F-Gas regulations and how they affect your commercial refrigeration equipment.
F-Gas regulations control the use, handling, and disposal of fluorinated greenhouse gases (F-Gases) used as refrigerants in commercial refrigeration and air conditioning systems. In the UK, these are governed by the Fluorinated Greenhouse Gases Regulations 2015, which remain in force following the UK's departure from the EU.
The purpose of the regulations is to reduce the environmental impact of refrigerant leaks, which have a global warming potential many thousands of times higher than carbon dioxide.
If you operate commercial refrigeration equipment containing fluorinated refrigerants, you have legal obligations under F-Gas regulations:
| Refrigerant Amount | Leak Check Frequency |
|---|---|
| 5kg to 50kg | At least every 12 months |
| 50kg to 500kg | At least every 6 months |
| Over 500kg | Every 3 months |
Kept Cold is F-Gas registered (Ref 1019992) and Refcom certified. Every engineer who attends your site is individually certified to handle refrigerants under UK F-Gas regulations.
The most common commercial refrigerants subject to F-Gas regulation include R404A, R134a, R407C, R410A, R448A, and R449A. Newer natural refrigerants such as R290 (propane) and R744 (CO2) are not subject to F-Gas regulations but require specialist handling.
You must keep records of all refrigerant work for a minimum of 5 years. Kept Cold issues a full service report on every visit documenting all work carried out, refrigerant quantities, and engineer certification details. Keep these records safe — they are required in the event of an inspection.
The Environment Agency enforces F-Gas regulations in England. Businesses found to be non-compliant can face significant fines. The most common breaches are using uncertified engineers, failing to carry out required leak checks, and inadequate record keeping.
F-Gas certified engineers across London. Full documentation on every visit.
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