I read recently that parliament’s Environmental Audit Committee had recommended that the government provide more resources for the monitoring of the illegal sale, use and handling of F-Gas.
F-Gasses are recognised as greenhouse gasses that contribute to global warming. It is estimated that a successful approach to tackle the emissions of F-Gas from fridges, air conditioners and asthma inhalers could reduce the planet’s anticipated temperature rise this century by 0.5°C.
The chair of the committee, Mary Creagh, believes that efforts to curb F-Gas emissions need to be stepped up if we are to be seen as serious about realising our carbon budget aims and reducing the UK’s impact on global warming.
She was quoted on the Refrigeration & Air Conditioning magazine website as saying “at present the government is failing to enforce the regulations surrounding F-Gas emissions, particularly on air conditioning units, while the NHS remains reliant on F-Gas fuelled inhalers despite less damaging alternatives being available and widely used in other European countries.”
She added that “international cooperation on removing F-Gas emissions could have hugely beneficial consequences for future generations.”
I personally feel that this is a real issue in the UK and is one that receives very little publicity. Anything that can raise awareness of the problem must be applauded.