Posted by: @sunandair

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One thought to leave you with is the Global Warming Potential. The existing R32 refrigerant is 225 Times more contaminating than the new refrigerant. How does the industry intend decommissioning old machines without leaking and polluting our blue planet.

You’ve asked a pertinent question. 

When decommissioning an air source heat pump, the following steps must be followed:

The heat pump must be disconnected from the power supply and any pipework connections.
A certified F-gas engineer will safely extract the refrigerant from the system using specialized equipment. The recovered refrigerant must be weighed and logged for traceability.
The heat pump can then be dismantled and disposed of at a licensed WEEE treatment facility.

We’ve never had a heat pump decommissioned or replaced, but I’d be very interested to hear if this is process is being followed.

These are the current regulations in place: 

The Fluorinated Greenhouse Gases Regulations 2015 (F-Gas Regulations): These regulations control the handling, use and containment of F-gases, including those used in heat pumps. They require that only certified personnel perform refrigerant recovery and handling during decommissioning.

The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations 2013: These regulations require the proper treatment and disposal of electrical and electronic equipment, including decommissioned heat pumps. This includes ensuring the safe recovery and disposal of any remaining refrigerants.

The Environmental Protection Act 1990: This broader act prohibits the intentional release of any harmful substances into the environment, including refrigerants.

@editor Great news but what of those poor people who have just had an R32 installed?......i.e ME. Horrendous timing it would seem.

@dannymoss23, these kind of things do happen. My primary concern lies with the decommissioning process, specifically regarding the hiring of an F-gas engineer to properly remove the refrigerant. I'm apprehensive, and without intending to sound cynical, I fear this may not happen in many cases. Recent years have significantly diminished my confidence in these processes being adhered to correctly, especially considering the current state of industry regulation.

@dannymoss23 I've been offered the r32 14kw Ecodan but reading this, I feel like it would be wrong to install this now vs one that uses r290.  It is old technology?  Mitsubishi don't offer r290 on anything above an 8kw model right now.  But the people I've had to quote are all trying to sell the Ecodan, so I think I need to find other people who will install eg a Vaillant or Viesmann that use r290 in 12kw or 14kw models.  If that sounds right...