scrawni

So, lets get this right, our fridge and freezer are both R134A. Does that mean we cannot take them?

(Bear in mind we are off in just over a week)

Mandy

pockygoes

I am sure that Mark My words will confirm that it is a HFC which is no longer allowed. I am still waiting for a reply from the Department of Environment & Heritage as to the official line - as soon as it comes I will let you know - hope it is in time for you - have you checked with your shippers? try to get them to get an official answer!!

good luck

pockygoes

anya4oz

I asked our shippers (Crown) about this a couple days ago & they said no fridges, no booze, no food.

Just don't want us to have fun, do they...?

Anya.

MarkMyWords

True, it is indeed an HFC and I do indeed think that these are now not allowed, but that doesn't mean you can't import the unit. You just need to have it "evacuated... by a qualified technician". I have no idea how much that will cost, or the cost of refilling it with e.g. isobutane or pentane (and that's assuming the old compressor will even work with the new gas!) Sigh.

martywild

I asked the question (re R134a) of Australian Customs. This is the reply I received.




"Thank you for your query regarding importing of refrigerators.
I have attached some information for you from our website:

The OPSGGM Act exempts personal effects, whether accompanied, or
unaccompanied, from requiring a pre-charged equipment licence (ie equipment
containing HFCs/HCFCs) to import.

Goods that contain CFCs are also exempt providing the equipment is being
imported by an immigrant or an individual on a temporary entry permit or is
being re-imported into Australia and the importer has evidence to this
effect. Therefore, the individual will need to provide the following
documentation to Customs.

· Copies of inventories supplied to freight forwarders at the time the
equipment is taken out of Australia giving full details of the equipment
including serial numbers; and
· Purchase documents (if available).

This generally means that as a mirgant arriving into Australia, you will be
exempt from the OPSGGM Act.

Please refer to the Ozone & Synthetic Gas Team in Canberra for further
information: [email protected]


I think this means that taking them is OK????? Our shipers are in 2 weeks so I hope I'm right!

MarkMyWords

Well... all it says it that you don't need a pre-charged equipment licence. It doesn't explicitly say that you won't need to have it drained and re-charged. So it's half an answer, I suppose. I still feel pessimistic on the whole. Sometimes I wonder if these people understand their own rules!

martywild

Finally got what looks to be a definitive answer to the CFC / HFC issue.

Got a copy of a letter from the Australian International Movers Association. Won't bore you with the detail but one paragraph says
" any unit charged with a CFC refrigerant or can only operate on such refrigerant will be subject to the recovery of the CFC refrigerant and MUST BE CONVERTED TO OPERATE ON HCFC or HFC REFRIGERANT".

Looks like my fridge is going after all.

Hope this helps!

Mart.

martywild

Finally got what looks to be a definitive answer to the CFC / HFC issue.

Got a copy of a letter from the Australian International Movers Association. Won't bore you with the detail but one paragraph says
" any unit charged with a CFC refrigerant or can only operate on such refrigerant will be subject to the recovery of the CFC refrigerant and MUST BE CONVERTED TO OPERATE ON HCFC or HFC REFRIGERANT".

Looks like my frige is going after all.

Hope this helps!

Mart.

pockygoes

YIPPEE!!!! however - there are so many conflicting answers from the people who are supposed to know the situation ie customs etc, that I would not stakle my life on it!!!! However a point to us - at last we have one positive & decypherable response from someone that is supposed to know.

thanks for that.

pockygoes

MarkMyWords

And yet... type "Australian International Movers" into Google and you will find Aussie Move which says

"April 2004 - new legislation concerning Ozone Protection places restrictions on the type of refrigerative equipment that can be imported into Australia. It is unclear (to us) how this affects migrants wanting to bring in their fridges/freezers, but it's certainly something to discuss with your removal company."

and which also references this Aussie government site which says quite clearly

"Any import of air conditioning or refrigeration equipment containing HFCs or HCFCs will be prohibited without a licence."

So make of that what you will! Sigh...

scrawni

Spoke with PSS yesterday and they said as long as it is R134A it can come to Oz.

I have emailed hotpoint but they have not replied but hubbie looked at the back of the fridge/freezer and he quoted the R134A number.

Looks like we can take them after all!

Mandy

MarkMyWords

Yeah but as has been said before (not by me), what the heck do the shippers care? If customs sting you at the far end for disposal or draining, that's no skin off the shippers' noses. (Cynical, moi?)

Sorry to keep on saying "yes, but" but I certainly don't think I've seen any trustworthy definitive information yet, just lots of apparently contradictory stuff. I would love to know that HFCs are ok (one less thing to get rid of at this end) but I'm not sure yet.

CHnJ

Here's my take on the above guidance. If this is still current, and they're allowing the "really bad" CFCs in without being drained under a grandfather clause, then surely they mean the "less bad" HCFCs are OK for a one-time personal shipment. I say without being drained as otherwise they wouldn't "contain" the CFCs.

This would be analogous to their rules on cars where as long as you get the speedo changed to kms etc you don't have to get an import license and type-certification as you would if you were importing cars for sale.

I'm inclined to take my suitably documented and brand new birthday beer-fridge with me. I'll even take on the onerous task of emptying it beforehand!

MarkMyWords

And this is the source of some of my uncertainty. Are there really different rules for individuals importing fridges for personal use and for importers bringing them in for resale? I can't see why they should be; after all, CFCs are CFCs, HFCs are HFCs, whether they're yours personally or not.

BTW, just for clarity (or not)!, HFCs and HCFCs are two very different things. HFCs are greenhouse gases but HCFCs are ozone-depleters rather like CFCs. So far though, all the official comments that I've seen have lumped them in together, which doesn't make much sense to me.

scrawni

Well had email from hotpoint today but wanted some more details on the fridge/freezer. I have asked for a fast response as we go next week. Will let you know the outcome.

Mandy