Tomorrow (June 26) is World Refrigeration Day (WRD) when Australia’s HVACR industry celebrates the coolest day of the year.
This year’s theme is Cool Skills focusing on the people behind the
cooling industry and the opportunities available to young people seeking a great career.
It also recognises the expertise, innovation, and problem-solving abilities of our technicians.
WRD was created to raise awareness about the importance of refrigeration technologies in everyday life and to raise the profile of the HVACR industry.
To commemorate this special day, Refrigerant Reclaim Australia (RRA) issued a statement highlighting the important role of technicians in the Lifecycle Refrigerant Management process.
“Refrigerants are everywhere, cooling our homes, preserving our food, and supporting critical industries and infrastructure,” the statement said.
“However, little light is shed on the individuals and the skills required to ensure refrigerants are not simply released or discarded but safely recovered, collected, transported, and destroyed at end-of-life.
“WRD is a great time to focus on the individuals on the ground making Lifecycle Refrigerant Management possible.
“Licensed technicians recover refrigerants from refrigeration air conditioners, heat pumps, and motor vehicles during servicing and decommissioning. The refrigerant is returned to a refrigeration wholesaler for reclamation or safe and permanent disposal.
“Refrigeration technicians need more than technical skills. They must understand thermodynamics, electrical systems, and environmental safety. Without their work, food supply chains, healthcare, and climate control in homes and workplaces would be at risk, affecting public health and productivity.
“Although we heavily rely on refrigerants, some, especially legacy gases like CFCs, HCFCs, and even high HFCs, can have global warming potentials thousands of times greater than carbon dioxide. If mishandled, even a few grams can cause environmental damage that lasts for generations.
“This is why training to become a refrigeration technician is so important. Technicians are on the frontline enabling RRA and its partners to maintain Australia’s world-leading standards in refrigerant recovery and environmental stewardship.
“RRA’s partnership with licensed technicians and wholesalers throughout Australia, combined with industrial innovation, is a shining example of how educating and training up-and-coming refrigerant technicians aligns heavily with environmental responsibility, collectively preventing 1 million tonnes of CO2e from being emitted annually.
“It also reminds us of the importance of the individuals behind the service that make Lifecycle Refrigerant Management possible, a principle that extends well beyond installation and servicing.
“As we mark WRD 2025, the message is clear: the skills required to ensure responsible refrigerant management wouldn’t be possible without the people with the passion, knowledge and dedication to make it happen.”