Space Air's Opinion - 🔥 Flammable Refrigerants
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Space Air's Opinion - Flammable Refrigerant 
Space AirR have been a distributor of air conditioning equipment since its inception on 1st August 1980. Throughout its history, have selected, promoted & sold equipment that meets National and International Regulations & Standards in term of Safety, Energy Efficiency, Environmental Responsibilities and Ethical Standards. see Space Air 30 years
It is important to understand that the use of refrigerants (A1, A2/A2L or A3 class) in any DX sealed cycle used for cooling, heating or heat pump systems, have major advantages in saving energy, which exceeds the environmental disadvantages IF ACCIDENTLY LEAKED but should not compromise user safety 
Space Air say:
Considering we ONLY had 
A1 class non-flammable refrigerants in public & domestic buildings since 1928 :
It is a total disrespect to the AC & Refrigeration Industry, International Laws, Health & Safety Regulations & Advertising Standrds by some major manufacturers ambiguousley and forcibly introducing A2L class flammable🔥 R32. It created distrust & a mess never experienced! in our Industry throughout the world:
- It is absurd that some Air Conditioning (dominant) manufacturers FORCE the UK to only be able to buy air conditioning equipment charged with unsafe flammable🔥 or explosive💥 (A2L or A3 class) refrigerants that does not meet some applications without extra measures, Safety & Advertising Standards, etc, and tell you that you have to deal with it later through vague installation, user & service manuals?
- It is absurd that manufacturers withdraw (jointly) some current legal and compliant equipment charged with non-flammable (A1 class) R410A refrigerant and replace it with same equipment but charged with uncertified flammable🔥 refrigerant under the ambiguous environmental claim? a Greenwashing?
- It is absud that manufacturers do NOT display CLEARLY the 🔥 flammable warning on Advertising or web materials (as required by ASA CAP CODE ), or on Indoor units like other consumer products (hand sanitizer, hair spray etc) containing 🔥 flammable materials?
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- It is absurd to see the mess some manufacturers ignorantly causing, in using flammable🔥 refrigerants in some equipment and non-flammable (current) in others, which should (if made aware!) result in multiple safety risk assesment, been abused and consumers mislead and resulted in unnecessary deaths (see Grenfell Tower).
- It is absurd that the reputation of anybody in the Supply Chain6 (UK Architects, M&E Consultants, Suppliers and Exporters) who design or supply overseas projects, is damaged by being made unaware of (or mislead) by manufacturers of equipment containing R32, by , a) only offering products (AC & Heat Pumps) that is charged with unrecognised flammable🔥 refrigerants, b) ambiguously promoted as similar to A1 class non-flammable.
(Flammable🔥 R32 is not known in Africa, Middle East, US, South America and many other countries).It is worthy to note, that UK Overseas income from (projects containing air conditioning, refrigeration & ventilation equipment) ranges between 30 - 40% of Turn Over. The UK is an exporting nation to every corner of the world who respects British Standards and specification (taken for granted).
- It is absurd that the USERS do not have clear information about the risks associated with 🔥 flammable refrigerant in the AC or Heat Pump in their homes or offices? as they do in Hong Kong or Singapore since 2013?
- It is absurd to ignor UK Government Study: of the impact of high GWP A1 class non-flammables refrigerants (e.g. R410A) in Heat Pumps concluded that the carbon benefit of displacing fossil fuels was around 17 times higher than the impact of refrigerant leaks. without the risks, cost and uncertainty of A2L class 🔥 flammable refrigerants future (e.g. R32)
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Can you imagine how much damage is done to the industry by NOT having the CHOICE. or at least clearly notifying customers that some equipment or materials contain flammable🔥 refrigerant, before they buy? and make customers aware of the risks to occupants and support services? |
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Q: Do you think that we in the 6Supply Chain and our customers have the right to KNOW or a CHOICE which refrigerant is in their/our :
It is important to use the following statement in any spacification or purchase order:
"Any product containing refrigerant must ONLY be A1 class non-flammable as classified by ISO817 & ASHRAE34 International Standards"
Any practice in the Supply Chain6 must insist that:
" Equipment and materials comply with the 11 Clauses of CCPI Code" clear, accurate, up to date, accessible & unambiguous |
Space Air is concerned for our industry, customers and end users regarding the introduction of A2L flammable🔥 refrigerant (R32) ambiguously, in 2015 by Daikin Europe /Industries** in the UK & EU,Forcing the 🔥R32 Cartel ( licenced AC manufacturers in UK & EU) to withdraw dominant A1 class non-flammable R410A charged in Small Splits and Heat Pumps, and to only promote the unsafe 🔥 (flammable) R32 refrigerant in the UK market.
**(having patented HFC32 as a single component with 300+linked components and dominating the EU F-Gas Regulation and quota) Quota (28 licenses out of 200)
They did this by:
- Stopping illigaly the supply of equipment (only in the UK) containing certified, current and approved A1 class non-flammable R410A that meets H&S and insurance regulations, from 2017/2018, before the EU ban on [new equipment] with GWP higher than 750]. in 1st January 2025.
(Worthy to note that F-Gas Regulation do not relate to flammability and only relates to the effect of GWP on the environment when it is released accidently to the atmosphere. An environmental not a safety regulation. They ignored the exemptions in the ban. - Manipulating the EU F-Gas quota 28 licenses out of 200 (not applicable to UK after January 2021) which is being revised due to abuse?
- Abusing Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) CAP Code by not declaring clearly that R32 is flammable🔥,
- Abusing safety standards by not meeting DSEAR, ATEX or Health & Safety 2016 no.1107 obligations or labeling of products containg flammable🔥 materials, nor correctly declaring that they meet CE (UKCA) requirements of 3rd party certification when flammable materials are present
- Misleading customers and end users by not clearly displaying warning signs🔥 on advertising, wbsites or all components (Outdoor and Indoor) as they do in Singapore or Hong Kong?. or as displayed on hand sanitisers, anti presperants, etc when containing flammable materials?
References:
aA3 class Flammable & Explosive Refrigerant
R600a A3 class refrigerant was introduced to domestic refrigerators & freezers in 2000 - 2004 by some manufacturers replacing A1 class non-flammable been around (since 1928) (R12 or R134a ) ignoring warnings from industry & UN Fact Sheet13 . A3 class was introduced to domestic refrigerators and as a blowing agent in 2005 - 2015 aimed at removing Ozon depleteing refrigerants (CFC & HCFC).without realising that CFC & HCFC are NON_FLAMMABLE. There are 3 classes of flammability:
1 Refrigerant classification
There are over 300 types of refrigerants in THREE Safety Classifications with regards to flammability, in accordance with ISO 817:2014 (E)
& ASHRAE34 International Standard clearly indicate that. A1 class non-flammable, A2/A2L flammable & A3 Highly flammable.
2 Greenwashing
"Greenwashing is a deceptive form of marketing that claims a company's products, policies and goals are environmentally friendly and therefore do less damage to nature, with an underlying purpose to increase profits"
3 Blowing Agent
Blowing agent is a substance which is capable of producing a cellular structure via a foaming process in a variety of materials that undergo hardening or phase transition, such as polymers, plastics, and metals. They are typically applied when the blown material is in a liquid stage *Note: Use of class O materials is an old out of dated national product classification (see more). Must use BS EN 13501-1 (class A1 non-combustible and non-flammable or class A2 non-combustible BUT, flammable). (see UNEP - Fact sheet )
4Building Cladding : Composite cladding typically consists of panels 3–5 millimetres (0.12–0.20 in) thick made of a core material sandwiched between two aluminium faces. Grenfell Tower was clad with composite panels with a polyethylene core which contributed to the fire; these panels cost about £2 less than ones with incombustible core.
5Business Cartel ; Daikin Industries/ Chemical have patented (aprox3 00+ patents) A2L flammable R32 refrigerant used in small splits air conditioning equipment and licensed the patents to Japanese (such as Mitsubishi Electric, Fugitsu, Toshiba, etc), Korean (LG & Samsung) & Chinease AC manufacturers.conditional on withdrawing current R410A non-flammable in small splits (refrigerant charge less than 3kg). This has been applied to UK & and some EU.
6The supply chain in the AC industry:
Architects, Specifiers (M&E Consultants), Designers, Contractors, Installers, Maintenance, Facilities Managers, Local Authorities, Trade & Industry Associations (ACRIB, BRA, HEVAC, BESA, IOR, CIBSE, RIBA, HHIC, ACTUATE), Distributors & Wholesalers, Publishers, Advertising Agencies, Insurance companies, Government Departments, Transport, Developers, Building Owners & Users need to ONLY USE, SPECIFY or SUPPORT manufacturers who comply and abide by the 11 clauses of the CCPI code,
The CCPI Code is to ensure the Supply Chain credibility & integrity & their customer's safety.
See more regarding A2L flammable R32 refrigerant used in Air Conditioing equipment (click here)
