Revisions to Ontario Refrigerant Regulation

[Nalliah Thayabharan]

On May 4, 2007, the Ontario Cabinet approved the revisions to the provincial refrigerant regulations that were announced in June of 2006. The new regulations include provisions to phase out the use of CFCs in large (more than 22 kilowatts) refrigeration and air conditioning systems and chillers. Chiller owners will have to convert or replace chillers that require a major overhaul after January 1, 2009 and chillers cannot be operated on CFC refrigerants after January 1, 2012.
Despite Ontario’s intention to include seller takeback and stewardship requirements in the revised regulations, this new area in the regulation is both confusing and inadequate in many respects. There is no reference to stewardship within this section and the seller takeback requirements are ambiguous at best, do not come into effect until January 1, 2009, and only apply to CFC refrigerants.

Other issues concerning this section include the sellers (wholesalers) having to takeback recovered CFCs at no cost and recovered CFCs being designated as hazardous waste after January 1, 2012. To access the regulation on the web in English, go to www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/DBLaws/Regs/English/940189_e.htm.

Nalliah Thayabharan
Expert Building Inspections Ltd
Markham ON