F-Gases and ODS (GB from 1st Jan 2021)

I posted a few days ago with the stipulations if exports to the EU are rejected. Today, 15th Oct, DEFRA and the Environment Agency issued full instructions on the regulations that will apply in England, Scotland and Wales (Great Britain – GB), for F-Gases and ODS from 1st Jan 2021.

The updated webpage is here.

GB will continue to:

• restrict ODS

• use the same schedule as the EU to phase down HFCs (hydrofluorocarbons, the most common type of F gas) by 79% by 2030 relative to a 2009 to 2012 baseline

That means new GB F gas quotas will follow the same phase down steps as the EU:

• limited to 63% of the baseline in 2019 and 2020

• reducing to 45% of the baseline in 2021

Most of the rules for F gas and ODS will not change. However, new GB IT systems will need to be used to:

• manage new GB quotas

• report on use

EU regulations will still apply for F gas, ODS and products containing them placed on the EU and Northern Ireland market after 1 January 2021.

The Environment Agency will administer the GB system on behalf of England, Scotland and Wales, if it receives the direction of the Scottish and Welsh Governments, from 1 January 2021.

Businesses preparing for 1 January 2021 should continue to work with the Environment Agency to register on the GB system and apply for GB quotas.

Please read the entire webpage, as the above is only part of the stipulations.

COVID-19 Reissued Guidance (Wales)

I posted yesterday that Scotland had reissued its stay at home and away from others guidance. Today, Wales has also reissued its stay at home and away from others guidance – here.

Please read carefully, including the information via the links. Wales is not exactly the same as Scotland.

As I posted yesterday and today, England and Northern Ireland are different again, and from one another.

COVID-19 Workplace Social Distancing (2) (Wales)

New legislation is in force – The Health Protection (Coronavirus Restrictions) (Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 – these will be added to Subscribers’ Cardinal Environment EHS Legislation Registers & Law Checklists COVID-19 Law List.

These amend the Welsh Coronavirus Restrictions Regulations issued earlier (in the COVID-19 Law List) to give legal underpinning to the Workplace Social Distancing requirement –

New Regulation 6A –

6A.—(1) A person responsible for work being carried out at premises where a person is working must, when such work is being carried out during the emergency period, take all reasonable measures to ensure that a distance of 2 metres is maintained between any persons on the premises (except between two members of the same household, or a carer and the person assisted by the carer).

(2) Paragraph (1) does not apply to premises used in the carrying on of a business, or provision of a service, listed in Schedule 1.

Schedule 1 is the Schedule 1 in main Welsh Coronavirus Restrictions Regulations that sets out the businesses subject to restrictions or closure.

New Regulation 7A inserts an obligation to have regard to guidance issued to Welsh Ministers on workplace social distancing (see blog post earlier this morning).

COVID-19 Workplace Social Distancing (Wales)

The Welsh government has issued guidance on Workplace Social Distancing – here.

This emphasises hygiene, home working, and the general (UK wide) requirement for businesses to take all reasonable measures to ensure a distance of 2 metres is maintained between people on their premises and waiting to enter their premises.

Please read carefully.