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Making quality visible – The RAL GZ 728 quality mark for the demanufacture of refrigeration equipment.

The WEEE Directive 2012/19/EU stipulates the targeted and controlled removal of both VFCs and VHCs from waste refrigeration equipment followed by their recovery or safe disposal. This requirement is integral to the European standard EN 50625-2-3 and the associated Technical Specification CLC TS EN 50625-3-4 which describe the minimum criteria that must be met when treating end-of-life refrigeration appliances. These documents were developed by CENELEC which is one of the three bodies tasked by the EU with developing harmonized European standards.

One of the important stipulations contained in these standards is that VHC-containing appliances have to be treated in such a way that sorting errors (where VFC-containing appliances are mistakenly identified as VHC appliances) do not result in the accidental emission of VFC refrigerants or blowing agents.

The RAL GZ 728 quality assurance and test specifications combine the requirements of the WEEE Directive and the CENELEC standards into one comprehensive standard that is being used to ensure high-quality, environmentally sound fridge demanufacturing operations in numerous European countries.

 

To determine whether a demanufacturing company is complying with the stringent and extensive requirements set out in GZ 728 quality assurance scheme, the RAL Quality Assurance Association commissions recognized auditors to perform the necessary external monitoring and compliance testing. With more than fifteen years’ experience in assessing fridge demanufacturing plants, the RAL auditors guarantee the systematic, independent and transparent evaluation of demanufacturing facilities and services.

CFCs in other products – The RAL GZ 729 quality mark for the demanufacture of foam products containing ozone-depleting substances.

The long lifetimes of these products mean that many of them are still in use – and the CFCs/ODSs they contain have the potential to cause significant climate damage if released into the environment. For example, domestic boilers containing CFC-blown insulation foam are still regularly received at waste collection facilities.

The RAL GZ 729 quality mark scheme provides a comprehensive set of quality assurance and test specifications for the environmentally sound treatment of CFC-containing foams.

RAL quality marks are helping to ensure that all CFC-containing products are collected, transported and treated in a safe and environmentally compatible manner.