Repairer and Enviro sector Collision Repair sector Climate change, carbon footprint and sustainability

Glen.mcgarry@mta.org.nz

With summer finally arriving across the country, the level of HVAC (heating, ventilation and air-conditioning) repairs is sure to increase, and we thought it might be a good time to clarify a few things and advise of some potential issues

Already some of our members are finding themselves in uncomfortable situations where they are being asked or instructed to do partial repairs to vehicle HVAC systems and “just gas it up”. The practice of partially completing an HVAC job with a possible or probable known leak still present and recharging the system is, in fact, illegal. With the Cool-Safe programme around refrigerant gases being a hot topic of conversation of late, some people may think this is the law coming into effect. It isn’t. Cool-Safe is for the correct disposal of refrigerant gases after use.

Product issues

MTA was contacted by WorkSafe at the end of 2022 to advise of potential issues around some products currently on the market. There are proposed substitutes to some of the refrigerants being used within the automotive sector, mainly to replace R-134A and R-1234y. While these gases offer low global warming potential (GWP) figures, they do propose some possible risks associated with their use. To help achieve low GWP figures, the use of flammable materials and substances such as propane, isobutane and propylene can be found within them. WorkSafe classifies all three of these substances as highly flammable.

There have been a number of instances in Australia where vehicles fitted with low GWP have been in incidents causing explosions and bodily harm to vehicle users and it is something to be mindful of.

An incident report from the Queensland government states, “The release of hydrocarbon refrigerant from the AC into the cab created an explosive atmosphere which was ignited by an unidentified source”.

Due diligence

If you are currently or possibly looking at using this type of low GWP refrigerant, MTA would suggest doing your due diligence to ensure retrofitting this gas to current vehicles is safe and the factory system is designed to take this type of product, and you have undertaken the approved and appropriate training to correctly and safely handle these types of refrigerants.

The law states as follows, under the Ozone Layer Protection Act (OLPA) 1996, R12 (Freon) and under the Climate Change Response Act (CCRA) 2002, R-134A (HFC-134a), R-1234YF (HFO-1234yf) and R744 (carbon dioxide) are categorised as Synthetic greenhouse gases (SGGs) and must comply with the following:

S264 - Offence in relation to release of synthetic greenhouse gases

(1) A person commits an offence against this Act if the person, in the course of undertaking an activity described in subsection (2), knowingly and without lawful justification or excuse releases any hydrofluorocarbon, perfluorocarbon, or sulphur hexafluoride into the atmosphere.

(2) The activities are installing, operating, servicing, modifying, dismantling, or disposing of any electrical switchgear, refrigeration or airconditioning equipment, or other heat-transfer medium.

(3) A person who is convicted of an offence against subsection (1) is liable on conviction:

(a) in the case of an individual, to a fine not exceeding $25,000

(b) in the case of a body corporate, to a fine not exceeding $50,000.

Larry.fallowfield@mta.org.nz

I would assume that after last year’s extreme weather events there are not too many non-believers out there when it comes to the impact we are having on climate change.

As I completed some research for this article, I discovered some interesting statistics from a variety of sources. Given the collision industry is driven by work from insurance companies, I thought it was appropriate to use data from a large work provider who has been conducting climate surveys for five years and displays the results via their website.

The Numbers

78 percent of respondents agreed that climate change was important.

80 percent of respondents agreed that business should factor climate change into their decision-making.

84 percent of respondents think business should be transparent about the changes they make in response to climate change.

As I contemplated these numbers, I thought about what our industry has been doing to curb its impact on the environment:

• Reduced solvent use.

• Recycling of solvents.

• Using low energy refinish products.

• Low emission coating products.

• Recycling business waste – metal, aluminium, cardboard etc.

• Lunchroom recycling bins.

• Using biodegradable vehicle washing and cleaning products.

• Compacting waste – plastic, cardboard.

• Using recycled motor vehicle parts.

• Buying electric vehicles.

How good are we as an industry?

I know that we all could do better, but what a great start; are you are doing some or all of these or are you doing more?

Are you telling your customers what you are doing?

If not, why not?

Transparency

Of your potential customers, 84 percent think businesses should be transparent about the changes they make in response to climate change.

You should be telling them what you are doing in your business to reduce the impact on the environment and climate change.

I know paint companies will provide you with a “We use water” sign.

Maybe you need more.

For example, there could be a poster in your reception area promoting all the good things you and your business do or have implemented to reduce the businesses impact on the planet.

Source of information:

IAG Climate Change Survey 2018-2022 – each survey has a margin of error of 3.1 percent.