Italy steps up the fight against illegal trade in climate-wrecking refrigerants
Just weeks after we released our report Fake, Frauds and F-gases, exposing illegal F-gas trade in Italy, the Italian Government has announced it will implement the EU Environmental Crime Directive.
This long-awaited step will tighten penalties for those illegally producing, importing or placing fluorinated greenhouse gases (F-gases) such as hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) on the market.
HFCs are widely used in refrigeration and air-conditioning. They are potent greenhouse gases being phased down around the world under the Montreal Protocol’s Kigali Amendment, while the European Union is pursuing an even more ambitious reduction pathway through its F-Gas Regulation.
Of particular note in the EU Environmental Crime Directive is Article 5, which targets the illegal production, marketing, import, export, use or emission of F-gases and related equipment. The new measures introduce significant criminal penalties:
- up to one year in prison or fines of €10,000-150,000 for unauthorised production, import or export of F-gases and related products
- up to six months in prison or fines of €1,000-50,000 for unauthorised marketing, use or release of these gases or equipment containing them.
EIA Senior Climate Campaigner Fin Walravens said: “EIA fully supports this important move to criminalise illegal trade in F-gases.
“Now, the challenge lies in effective enforcement and in ensuring the Italian authorities make full use of these new powers to combat F-gas climate crime.”
