Introduction to F-Gases

Fluorinated gases, or ‘f-gases’, are a family of man-made gaseous compounds that contain fluorine. They are used in a range of different applications including cleaning products, aerosols, air-conditioning and, specifically relevant to the frozen food industry, refrigeration and chilling.

F-gases are comprised of:

• Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)
• Perfluorocabons (PFCs)
• Sulphur hexafluoride (SF6)

HFCs are the main gases used today in refrigeration. They are a substitution for hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), which were historically used as refrigerants before the Montreal Protocol. HCFCs are powerful greenhouse gases that are classified as ‘ozone-depleting substances’ (ODS). The Montreal Protocol is an environmental agreement set up to phase out the production and consumption of these ODS, to prevent further destruction to the ozone and protect the environment from harmful ultraviolet rays.

HFCs were introduced as an alternative to HCFCs because they are non-ODS however, they are also greenhouse gases with a high global warming potential (GWP). GWP is a unit of measure that was created to allow direct comparison of global warming impacts between different gases. It quantifies how much energy one unit of a specific GHG will absorb relative to one unit of carbon dioxide, over a certain period of time. The universal unit of measurement to indicate GWP is therefore called carbon dioxide equivalents (CO₂e).

Having a high GWP means that even a small amount of HFC emissions will contribute towards global warming. Therefore, it is important that HFC emissions are properly recorded and reported to enable companies to monitor and reduce HFC releases.

Reporting Fugitive Emissions

Fugitive emissions is the term used to describe both intentional and unintentional greenhouse gas releases. This includes HFC emissions as a result of leakage over the operational life of a refrigerator and from disposal at the end of a refrigerators lifecycle.

According to the GHG Protocol, fugitive emissions should be included within a company’s GHG Inventory and can be applicable to Scope 1 (direct) and Scope 3 (indirect) emissions. Scope 1 includes emissions from sources a company owns, or controls and Scope 3 covers emissions from the value chain, outside of the ownership or control of a company.

For example, a supermarket ‘Alpha’ owns a number of freezers to store frozen food. Leakage from these units would fall within their Scope 1 reporting. Alpha purchases this food from a third-party supplier that freezes the food then delivers it, using a refrigerated vehicle, to the shop. The leakage associated with freezing and transporting the food would be included in Alpha’s Scope 3 reporting. Alpha would also be required to report f-gases contained within any freezers they dispose of during their reporting year, under Scope 1.

F-Gas Data

To report f-gas leakage, companies need to calculate the total amount of gas (kg) replaced in their equipment over the reporting year, per gas type. This is assumed to be equal to the quantity of leaked gas. The relevant data can be found in records or invoices from the HVAC or chiller maintenance company, which should contain the amount and type of f-gas used.

It is important to record gas types separately, as they each have different global warming impacts. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Climate Change document contains the full list of f-gases and their GWPs, which can be used to convert the quantity of gas into CO₂e. These are the conversion factors accepted by the GHG Protocol for GHG reporting and are the same figures used by their own GHG Emissions Calculation Tool (based on a GWP 100-year time horizon).

Any equipment that is disposed of during the reporting year should also be taken into consideration as part of the GHG inventory. F-gases from retired equipment must be recovered either by a qualified technician or licensed waste facility. The recovered gas is then reclaimed, recycled or destroyed, depending on economic viability and government requirements. Records should be available from the technician or waste facility, to enable companies to record the quantity of f-gas recovered and how it has been disposed of.

Government Record-Keeping Requirements

The GHG Protocol requires that all f-gases released into the atmosphere are reported, under fugitive emissions. Many companies should already have records of their f-gas emissions, as a result of the UK government record-keeping requirements.

The EA and DEFRA guidance states that anyone who operates or services specific equipment containing f-gases needs to keep records about the quantity and type of gas at the beginning, during and end of the equipment’s life, as well as relevant inspection dates.

It is important to note that government record-keeping requirements do not extend to all f-gas equipment; smaller units do not require the same rigorous documentation as those that contain f-gas equivalent to 5 tCO₂e or more. However, to ensure complete GHG reporting it is recommended that companies record all fugitive emissions, even for smaller equipment.