F-gas Compliance UK: Requirements for Air Dryers & Chillers

Executive summary

Maintaining F-gas compliance in the UK is a legal requirement for many sites operating refrigerant-based equipment, including compressed-air dryers and process chillers. The retained F-gas framework (based on EU Regulation 517/2014 and implemented through UK legislation) is designed to ensure fluorinated greenhouse gases are contained, recovered, and handled by certified personnel.

ALS Industrial Services supports operators with certified maintenance, documented leak checking, compliant refrigerant recovery, and practical record audits. This reduces risk, protects uptime, and helps avoid enforcement action.

If you operate equipment containing refrigerants, the sections below set out the key obligations. To discuss your plant, call 01789 867640.

Why F-gas compliance matters

Compressed-air dryers and process chillers are common across manufacturing, food and beverage, utilities, and process industries. Many systems contain hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants with a global-warming potential far higher than carbon dioxide, so leaks create both environmental impact and avoidable operating cost.

For operators, compliance typically means preventing leaks, arranging certified servicing, and maintaining complete records for inspection by regulators.

Equipment scope and thresholds

F-gas obligations are set using carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂e), calculated by multiplying refrigerant mass by its global-warming potential. Thresholds commonly referenced for stationary refrigeration include:

• 5 tonnes CO₂e or more – mandatory leak checking and record keeping
• 50 to 500 tonnes CO₂e – at least six-monthly inspections
• Over 500 tonnes CO₂e – fixed automatic leak detection required

In practice, many industrial dryers and chillers can exceed the 5-tonne CO₂e threshold even with modest charge sizes, so leak checking is often compulsory.

Legal responsibilities and certification

Operators (the party in control of the equipment’s operation) hold legal responsibility for compliance. They must:

• Prevent and promptly repair refrigerant leaks
• Schedule leak checks at the required frequency
• Maintain complete refrigerant and service records
• Use only certified engineers and certified businesses for F-gas work

Individual technicians typically hold qualifications such as City & Guilds 2079. Companies undertaking the work should hold appropriate certification through an approved body such as REFCOM.

Leak testing requirements and maintenance

Inspection frequency depends on CO₂e charge:

• 5–50 tonnes CO₂e: at least once every 12 months
• 50–500 tonnes CO₂e: every six months
• Over 500 tonnes CO₂e: every three months or continuous detection

Automatic leak-detection systems can extend intervals between manual checks in some cases, but the underlying obligations still apply. After a repair, a recheck is required to confirm the leak has been successfully fixed.

ALS engineers carry out leak inspections using suitable detection methods and instruments, covering joints, valves, seals, and service connections, and provide service documentation to support your compliance file.

Labelling, recovery, and record keeping

Equipment should be labelled to show it contains fluorinated greenhouse gases, including refrigerant type and charge information where required. Operators should retain records for at least five years, including refrigerant type and quantity, additions and recoveries, inspection dates and outcomes, and details of certified personnel.

Before disposal, refrigerant must be recovered by certified engineers for recycling, reclamation, or destruction in line with UK requirements.

Penalties and enforcement

Non-compliance can trigger enforcement notices and civil penalties, including for missing records, uncertified work, or failures to prevent and address leaks. Serious breaches can attract high penalties, and regulators have demonstrated active enforcement under climate-related schemes.

Environmental and operational benefits

Effective leak management lowers operating costs and supports sustainability goals. Correct refrigerant charge improves efficiency, reduces compressor wear, and can reduce energy use. Proactive maintenance therefore delivers both compliance and measurable operational benefit.

Next steps

Contact ALS Industrial Services for certified F-gas maintenance and compliance support. We provide planned leak checking, breakdown response, refrigerant recovery, and documentation support for audits and regulator inspections.

References

• DEFRA – Fluorinated greenhouse gases (F-gases)
• The Fluorinated Greenhouse Gases Regulations 2015 (SI 2015/310)
• Environment Agency – Enforcement and sanctions policy
• Climate Change Committee – Assessment of potential to reduce UK F-gas emissions
• GOV.UK – Checking F-gas equipment for leaks
• City & Guilds – 2079 F-gas and ODS Regulations
• REFCOM – Company certification scheme

FAQs