Development of ODS/F-GAS Certification System in Croatia

1. Development of ODS/F-GAS Certification System in Croatia

2. 1999 Start UNIDO – Refrigerant Management Plan - RMP • In agreement with: • Ministry of Environmental Protection, PhysicalPlanning and Construction • Universityof Zagreb - Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture - FMENA • APO - Consulting and engineering in environmental protection agency

3. RMP Tasks: • to establish four Local Training Centers • (Osijek, Rijeka, Split and Zagreb) • to establish four Local Reclaiming Centers • (Osijek, Rijeka, Split and Zagreb) • to train Custom Officers

4. CURRICULUM • Introduction of Ozone issues, • International and local regulations, • Basic principles of refrigeration, • Refrigeration technology with new alternative refrigerants, retrofittingand drop-in refrigerants, lubricants, • Codeofgoodpractice • Recovery and recycling technologies, hand-on training on training rig with • recovery and recycling machines, • Exchange of the refrigerant in the existing unit, hand-on training, • Reclaiming technology, theoretical issues, • Discussion on certificates and developing of national code of good practice. • LITERATURE • Handbook for service technician • Seminar interactive script, prepared and printed in Training center Zagreb 

5. Training of Technicians • Three-day training courses were organized in all four training centers. • Courses were organized on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Thursday and Friday training has lasted 8 school hours (8x45min) and on Saturday 6 school hours. • Attendees were also provided by a interactive „Seminar script” and by a Handbook for service technician. • Courses consisted of two parts, theoretical and practical part • At the end of every course an examination-test was performed and if it was not successful, an additional training was organized so that all attendees have successfully completed the course.

6. Equipment: • demonstration training rig, refrigeration unit • recovery set • recycle set • vacuum pump • freon cylinders • hand tool

7. All technicians that have successfully completed the course were awarded by a Certificate of training. • Certificates are signed by a director of the institution in which Training centres are organized and by a leader of the Training centre.

8. II. LocalReclaimingCenters • Reclaiming Center Activities • Recovering • Recycling • Moisture removal • Oil removal • Impurities removal • Reclaiming • Removal of noncondensing gases • Removal of acids • Chemical analysis • Reusable Freon Certificating • Reuse of reclaimed ODS • Decomposition and neutralization of CFCs • Reporting • Export of waste refrigerant

9. III. CustomOfficersTraining • One-day Course were organized and held at the Training Center Zagreb • Lectures were consisted of two parts, theoretical and practical part • Handbook for Custom Officers, prepared in Training Center Zagreb in cooperation with Ministry of environmental protection and physical planning and Ministry of Finance, Custom Administration • Contents of the Handbook: • Protection of the Ozone Layer • Ozone Depleting Substances Legislative • Preventing Illegal Trade • Refrigeration, Air-Conditioning devices and Refrigerants • Refrigerant Identifier RI-2002PA • Total number of Custom Officers that have attended to the course in Croatia is 18 persons.

10. ACTUAL SYSTEM CERTIFICATION OF TECHNICIANS Handling theODS and F-Gases National Regulation Thematic meeting on ODS/F-gas legislation and certification of technicians, Zagreb, Croatia, 4-5 June 2012

11. CURRENT STATUS – Certificationoftechnicians • Official gazette 130/10 - Air protection act • Article 67 • licence requirement: for companieswhich performs recovery, leakagechecking, maintenance or servicing of theequipment and systems containing ODSsor F-gases • other requirements: registerd as servicing company, employs oneor more adequately trained and certifiedworkers, posses recovery equipment. • Article 72 (in accordance with Article 5 of EC No. 842/2006), personnel involved in installation, maintenance or servicing of the equipment and systems as regards • stationary refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump equipment (EC No. 303/2008) • stationary fire protection systems and fire extinguishers (EC No. 304/2008) • recovering F-gases from high-voltage switchgear (EC No. 305/2008) • recovering F-gases from gas-based solvents (EC No. 306/2008) • ac systems in motor vehicles (EC No. 307/2008) • Have an obligation to obtain a Certificate for successful completion of the training programme.

12. National regulation – Certificationoftechnicians • Trainingofpersonnel • Educationalinstitutions, refrigerationassociations, instituteswith • approvalofMinistryofEnvironmentaland Nature protection for period of 5 years • employmentofqualifiedtrainers • adequatefacilityarea at disposal • technicalequipment at disposal • possesadministrationpersonel • Minimum qualificationoftrainers (theoretical&practicalpart): • mechanicalengineerwith • 10 yearsexperianceinfiled (RAC andheatpump, fireprotectionsystemsetc) • Minimum qualificationoftrainers (practicalpart): • more than 10 yearsexperianceinmaintenance or servicing of theequipment and systems

13. National regulation – Certificationoftechnicians • Techniciansprequalifications • age 18+ • technicalvocationhighschooleducation (mechnical, electricaletc.) • highschooleducationand 1 yearexperianceinmaintenance or servicing • elementaryschooland 5 yearsexperiance • Trainingprogramme • stationary refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump equipment (EC Regulation 842/2007) • Category I • Category II • Category III • Category IV • stationary fire protection systems and fire extinguishers • recovering F-gases from high-voltage switchgear • recovering F-gases from gas-based solvents • ac systems in motor vehicles(MAC)

14. National regulation – Certificationoftechnicians • Assesment • Evaluationcommittee – delegatedbyMinistry • president, examiners and one Ministry member • preparesthelistsofquestions • Locationofassesment are thepremesisofeducationalinstitutions • Theoreticalpartofexam – 60 min • Practicalpartofexam – 180 min • Assesmentcriteria – all ofthemoduleshave to beevaluatedwith grade “passed” • ineach module >50% of all questionshave to beansweredcorrectly • for 2 modules “failed” in total, candidatecan test againtheknowledgeinthismodules • Permanent educationprogramme • Renewal of licence – 5 years • changes in legislation, directives, norms • novelties in technology (refrigerants, materials etc) • refrigerants (naturalandnewsynthetic) • newdetectionmethods, recovery, recyclingandreclaimingprocedures • refrigerantdisposal • RRR scheme

15. National regulation – Certificationoftechnicians • All private legal entities (persons) that were awarded by a certificate through the RMP certification scheme are to be awarded by a certificate for Category III, IV and mobile air conditioning (MAC) according to the new scheme.

16. Thank You! Tonko Ćurko, PhD tonko.curko@fsb.hr