Public consultation is now open until December 31, 2025, on updates to the Australian Automotive Code of Practice.
The Australian Automotive Code of Practice: Control of refrigerant gases during manufacture, installation, servicing or de-commissioning of motor vehicle air conditioners (the Code) is being revised, and the updated version is open for public comment.
This work is being undertaken by Vehicle Air-conditioning Specialists of Australasia (VASA), with input from the automotive industry and support from the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW).
The Automotive Code of Practice is a practical guide that provides fundamental information to automotive RAC technicians.
The Code outlines how to minimise the emission of fluorocarbon refrigerants to the atmosphere from automotive refrigerant-containing systems.
It covers vehicle fitting, servicing, repair, disassembly, reassembly, commissioning, decommissioning and refrigerant recovery.
Anyone holding a Refrigerant Handling Licence or Refrigerant Trading Authorisation will need to comply with updated Code.
The updated Code will replace the existing Code as a standard under Regulation 135 of the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Regulations 1995.
Australian Refrigeration Council (ARC) CEO, Glenn Evans, invited the public and industry members to submit their feedback on the revamp of the Code.
‘This is a critical update that strengthens our industry’s foundation and positions us for opportunities ahead,” Evans said.
“This Code is the core of all automotive RAC technicians working on equipment containing regulated refrigerants.
‘It is a step in the right direction to further refine industry practices, strengthen compliance and protect the environment. I encourage everyone to take this opportunity to provide your feedback to better align the practices for a better tomorrow.”
The draft Code is available for public comment, which reflects current standards, regulations, safety practices, contemporary refrigerants and associated technology. The draft Code is available for download here: https://vasa.org.au/copreview2025/.
Feedback comments can be submitted until 5pm AEDT on Wednesday 31 December 2025.