EUROPE: Further information that has come to light following the recent interception of an illegal consignment of waste fridges at the port of Hamburg suggests that cfc-containing waste fridges are being disguised as containing legal refrigerants.
There are thought to have been similar cases in Germany and at least one in the Netherlands where used refrigeration equipment destined for export has been found bearing stickers on the compressors indicating the use of the hydrocarbon isobutane (R600a). However, when removing the sticker the original engraving indicates that the compressors actually contain the CFC R12.
It is not yet known how prevalent this deception is but customs officers have been alerted to these recent incidents.
Earlier today,
ACR News revealed that in recent weeks, two export shipments of a total of 87 R12 refrigerators destined for Burkina Faso and Ghana were stopped by customs officers in Hamburg.
In a more recent incident, the Hamburg water police are investigating a 36-year-old man from Guinea-Bissau and a 45-year-old man from Burkina Faso for alleged illegal waste handling.
Police in the port of Hamburg announced last week that it had intercepted a truck loaded with a total of 40 refrigerators. Of these, 29 contained R134a or the hydrocarbon R600a but the other 11 fridges contained R12, six of which had counterfeit stickers proclaiming they were charged with R600a or R134a.
A search of the grounds of the 45-year-old suspect in Hamburg-Rothenburgsort uncovered a further 28 CFC-containing fridges. Investigations are continuing.
The export of refrigeration equipment containing CFCs either as refrigerants or with CFC-blown insulation is prohibited.