WORLD – The Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute and the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) completed an Exchange of Letters on July 23, at a Side Event meeting which took place during the Montreal Protocol Open Ended Working Group meeting held in Paris. The agreement covered many topics including the development of a global qualification program for refrigerant supply chain networks, which is to be known as a “refrigerant driving license” (RDL) and which aims to ensure the sound and safe management of refrigerants. Both parties hope that the new “refrigerant driving license” will help ensure safe management of refrigerants.

“Working with UNEP and developing the RDL is one very important aspect of the industry’s focus on ensuring the proper, safe, and environmentally sound management of refrigerants,” declared Stephen Yurek, the AHRI President and CEO. “AHRI’s relationship with UNEP will provide an excellent platform for working with other associations and institutes, creating a global network to support the safe handling of refrigerants,” he said.

The agreement is designed to support the accelerated global transition to new refrigerants brought about by the Montreal Protocol’s ozone layer protection targets and will address the challenges faced in soundly and safely managing refrigerants. The new agreement should also complement existing programs designed to upgrade the skills and knowledge of field specialists as new technologies become available.