Hongkong: New regulation on HFCs phase-down in air-conditioners and refrigerators

Hongkong has published a consultation document on Proposal to Regulate and Phase Down Hydrofluorocarbons for Implementation of the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol.

The proposal sets out different control strategies which facilitates HFC phasedown, and supports an orderly and smooth transition to the use of low Global Warming Potential (GWP) alternatives. One of the strategies is to introduce a new regulation to prohibit the import, manufacture, supply and sale of those equipment and products using HFCs with GWP greater than the prescribed limit.

In scope is air-conditioning and refrigeration equipment, and fire suppression system, that contains or is designed to operate on any hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) as listed below:

Room air-conditioner (split type or window type, with rated cooling capacity < 7.5kW) [HS code: 84151000, 84158100, 84158200]
Household refrigerator, freezer and refrigerator combined with freezer [HS code: 84181000, 84182100, 84182900]
Commercial refrigeration – stand-alone system [HS code: 84183000, 84184000, 84185000, 84762100, 84768100, 84186900, 85167920]
Commercial refrigeration – condensing unit [HS code: 84189900]
Commercial refrigeration – supermarket system [HS code: 84186900]
Cold storage warehouse system [HS code: 84186900]
Air-cooled chiller [HS code: 84198900]
Water-cooled chiller [HS code: 84198900]
Motor vehicle air-conditioning – private car [HS code: 87032140, 87032160, 87032240, 87032260, 87032340, 87032360, 87032440, 87032460, 87033140, 87033160, 87033240, 87033260, 87033340, 87033360, 87034040, 87034060, 87035040, 87035060, 87036040, 87036060, 87037040, 87037060, 87038000, 87039000]
Fire suppression system [HS code: 84241000, 84248900]

The proposed date of adoption is 1 January 2025 (tentative).

The full draft text can be accessed HERE.

To find out more about product compliance for air-conditioners and refrigerators, please contact the Product Compliance Institute directly.