ARCTick News: On 4 October 2013, the Federal Court of Australia declared that by not submitting three quarterly reports as part of their obligationsas the holder of an Ozone Depleting Substance (ODS)/Synthetic Greenhouse Gas (SGG) Equipment Licence, Rothenberger Australia Pty Ltd had breached section 46A of the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Act 1989 (the Act). The Department of the Environment was awarded costs.
As well as Refrigerant Handling Licences and Refrigerant Trading Authorisations which help control the handling and trade of fluorocarbon refrigerant in Australia, licences are also required for the manufacture, import and export of ODS/SGGs or equipment containing ODS/SGGs.
The Department commenced legal proceedings against Rothenberger Australia Pty Ltd after it failed to submit its quarterly
reports by the due dates, despite receiving multiple reminder notifications and warning letters from the Department.
As a result of the proceedings, Rothenberger Australia Pty Ltd has since submitted all outstanding reports.
Reporting Non Compliance
If you have any information about the acquisition, import, export, international trading or use of gas that may not comply with the requirements of the Act or the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Regulations 1995 (the Regulations) please contact the Department of the Environment via email ozone@environment.gov.au or free call 1800 803 772. Visit www.environment.gov.au for further information.
For information regarding possible breaches of the Regulations relating to Refrigerant Handling Licences and Refrigerant Trading
Authorisations, please contact the Australian Refrigeration Council (ARC) via their website www.arctick.org or phone 1300 884 483.