Unlicensed refrigeration equipment seized

The Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (DAWE) and Australian Border Force (ABF) have seized over $200,000 worth of refrigeration equipment that was imported without a licence.

The importer had attempted to bring 100 pieces of equipment into the country using certificates wrongly stating that refrigerant gases had already been removed from the units.

A significant portion of the shipment was later found to contain hydrofluorocarbon refrigerant gases, according to the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (DAWE).

It’s just one year since a company was ordered by DAWE to pay a penalty of $500,000 for importing several one-tonne cylinders of HFC-227ea without a controlled substances licence

Energy Safe Victoria (ESV) has postponed its Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Skills Maintenance program until mid-2023.

Victoria’s Skills Maintenance training postponed to mid-2023

The ESV’s decision to delay the program was based on the Victorian Government’s COVID-19 roadmap and modelling by the Burnett Institute that forecasts high case numbers, hospitalisations, and vaccination rates over coming months.

Offering training targeted to every licence class, the program would have required electrical licence holders to undertake an eight-hour training session before renewing their licence.

As a result of the decision, Skills Maintenance training won’t be compulsory until July 2023.

The CPD initiative was the first of its kind for ESV and was due to kick off with a pilot in November before rolling out to the rest of the industry over 2022/23.

There’s no limit to where an RAC career can take you!

The Melbourne Demons ended a 57-year premiership drought last Saturday night with a resounding win over the Western Bulldogs, thanks in no small part to star recruiter and former Fridgie, Jason Taylor.

A much younger Taylor started his RAC career back in the late 80’s, working as an apprentice with a Melbourne RAC business before going travelling and eventually returning home to start his own air conditioning installation business.

Legend has it that a chance meeting with Collingwood Magpies’ list boss Derek Hine while installing an air conditioner led to a career turnaround and a dazzling future in football recruitment.

It’s the spotter’s skill for recruiting talented footballers that’s been credited with the team’s brilliant 2021 season.

RRA moves to further develop refrigerant recovery initiatives

Over 100 contractors have participated in a Refrigerant Reclaim Australia (RRA) research project to collect data on charge sizes, leakage rates and refrigerant loss during the recovery process of split systems at end-of-life.

Based on information collected from the study, RRA was able to determine that the quantity available for recovery from end-of-life split system air conditioning systems annually is 945.3 tonnes. Currently the annual recovery of approximately 500 tonnes falls short of optimum. However, the amount being reused is unknown.

In coming months, Refrigerant Reclaim Australia (RRA) will consult directly with contractors and technicians to gain a better understanding of impediments to improving rates of refrigerant recovery.

The RRA will then work with industry through associations including the ARC to develop initiatives to further assist and support the industry in increasing the collection of unwanted refrigerants from end-of-life equipment.

ARC’s summer social media campaign kicks off

Keep an eye out on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram for the ARC’s summer campaign from October through to February.

Each year we run ads to inform consumers about the importance of regular servicing and maintenance of cooling systems and the importance of using authorised businesses and technicians.

The consumer website, www.lookforthetick.org, is promoted as a way to find local technicians who are qualified and registered with the ARC.