Quebec updating Halocarbon regulations

The Quebec regulation respecting halocarbons is to be updated as of April 16, 2020. The main objective of the regulation is to reduce the emission of halocarbons into the atmosphere.

The regulation directly affects businesses and independent workers in the refrigeration and air conditioning sectors.

The Regulation prohibits the release of halocarbons into the atmosphere in order to cap emissions, and sections 8 and 10 also provide for the mandatory recovery of halocarbons by fully functional equipment and in containers designed for this purpose.

Leaks from halocarbon-containing equipment are restricted under section 27 (emission standards). A leak test is mandatory both prior to filling devices and annually for certain types of equipment.

Additionally, only individuals holding environmental halocarbon qualification are permitted to install, maintain, repair, modify, dismantle or refurbish refrigeration and/or air conditioning equipment designed for use with halocarbons.

The Regulation prohibits :

• the manufacture, sale, distribution or installation of refrigeration and/or air conditioning equipment designed to work with chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) or hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs)
• filling refrigeration and/or air conditioning equipment with CFCs
• operating refrigeration and/or air conditioning equipment with CFCs as of October 16, 2020
• the manufacture, sale, distribution and installation of halon-based fire extinguishers
• the installation of HFC-23 and perfluorcarbon-based fire extinguishers as of June 16, 2020

The Regulation also sets global warming potential (GWP) limits for a number of applications.

• Food conservation refrigeration equipment with nominal power in excess of 50 KW (Section 21.1), for any installations, the GWP limit is 150, effective January 1, 2021.
• Refrigeration equipment (Section 21.2), applying to all sales, distribution and installation, the GWP limit is 1,500 effective January 1, 2021 (some exceptions apply).
• Chillers (Section 21.2), applying to sales, distribution and installation, the new GWP limit is 750, effective January 1, 2025.

Also, with respect to refrigerant management within Québec, individuals that recover used halocarbons are required to process, dispose, have processed or disposed of by a third party or return them to their suppliers or any other wholesalers.

Halocarbon suppliers and wholesalers are required to produce annual halocarbon purchase and sales reports.

Importers of halocarbons for their own use are also required to produce annual purchase reports.

Anyone receiving or recovering used halocarbons for processing and disposal are required to produce annual returns reports. This does not apply to businesses that recover used halocarbons and place them back in the equipment where they were recovered or any other of its owned devices.

Workers who perform tasks that require halocarbon use, recovery and/or recycling; dismantle equipment or perform a leak test on refrigeration, air conditioning and/or fire extinguishing equipment are required to keep a repair, maintenance and/or dismantling log.

Quebec Halocarbon Regulation Highlights