As a holder of a full RAC license this new licensing system is a bit of a joke in terms of the environment. Domestic ac's are still aloud to be imported with refrigerant in them so this has not stoped the many people out there who are not licensed to install them. We get alot of service work from fixing up leaks then re-gassing units that have not been installed properly from un-licensed people or licensed people who have no proper training. Plenty of so called experiensed people got their 'mates' up here in Queensland to get them to signed them off when the 12 month transition period was introduced and people who have a trade back ground in another trade now can sit a small course at Tafe and then with little experience apply for an AC license to work in domestic applications. No wonder we run around and fix all these leaks etc. I agree that it is just another revenue making thing for the federal government and they keep sending me those flashy news letters

saying that all this is being done to help the environment. Most domestic and commercial AC'S come out in the so called environmental R410A gas and not R22, but don't worry as China just opened another massive R22 production facitlity to keep pumping their units (and the environment) with refrigerant. They release more gas to the atsmospere in 1 day than Australia does in 1 year. They manufacture over 90 million split systems a year and over 50 million are needed for domestic demand and the rest are exported to the rest of the world. They don't have the same reclaim controls as we do so can you imagine how much refrigerant is dumped to the environment when units need to be changed over especially after they only usually last a few years as quality is usually not that great.
Matt