The Haz Guide

All waste appliances containing Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) must be sent for specialist disposal/recovery. If your business uses refrigeration equipment containing ODS it should ensure preventative maintenance to avoid leaks of ODS. If you use internal engineers or external contractors you should ensure they comply with the ODS regulations, for example not allowing ODS to be vented into the atmosphere during maintenance. Equipment manufactured after 1994 is unlikely to contain CFCs (an ODS). However, a company should always use a specialist contractor to dispose of equipment likely to contain ODS.

If you are a business that supplies refrigeration equipment many ODS substances are banned from being placed on the market. However, some can be used for maintenance, or servicing of equipment. The use of virgin hydrochlorofluorocarbons for maintaining and servicing will be banned from 31 December 2009. After this date only the use of recovered or reclaimed refrigerants will be sanctioned. From 1 January 2015 hydrochlorofluorocarbons will be completely banned. Advice on the phasing out of these chemicals and alternatives can be found on the NetRegs website.

Non-ODS fridges and freezers could be hazardous if they contain pentane or ammonia.
Fridges and freezers also fall within the WEEE regulations and businesses producer, distributing or using fridges should refer to the WEEE Section.