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10 min ago 2 min read
New Zealand is introducing mandatory reporting requirements for synthetic refrigerant suppliers, recovery operators, and gas destruction businesses, as part of a regulated stewardship scheme taking effect on 1 April 2027.
Announced by the Ministry for Cities, Environment, Regions & Transport (MCERT), Waste Minimisation (Synthetic Refrigerants) Regulations will require businesses to participate in a national scheme.
According to MCERT, synthetic refrigerants account for around 2% of New Zealand’s . The government expects the mandatory scheme to prevent 400,000 tonnes of emissions by 2030.
The regulations cover hydrofluorocarbons and specified synthetic refrigerants used in heating, cooling, refrigeration, and air conditioning equipment.
Refrigerant gas suppliers will be required to record customers’ scheme registration numbers alongside the type and quantity of refrigerant sold, aggregated quarterly.
Operators conducting equipment charging or degassing activities will also face reporting obligations, while collection network operators must report quarterly quantities collected and transferred for reclamation, destruction or export.
The regulations also introduce requirements for refrigerant destruction facilities to meet specified destruction efficiency and air-emissions standards, supported by annual independent certification.
The Trust for Destruction of Synthetic Refrigerants, which has operated a voluntary stewardship scheme since 2010, will manage the regulated system.
It marks a shift towards greater traceability throughout the refrigerant supply chain, with additional competency requirements for technicians scheduled to take effect from 2030.
