At the end of a system's life the refrigerant has to be recovered into a cylinder by a person working for an F-gas certified company, then sent on a lawful waste route. That applies when you scrap a split, strip a shop fit-out, or replace an old cassette. Venting the gas to atmosphere is illegal. The quote for removal should say that recovery is included and who keeps the record. This page explains the duty. It does not explain how to recover refrigerant.
The gas is in a cylinder before the pipes are cut
End of life is not only a machine that will not start. It includes a refit that takes a working cassette down, a landlord strip-out, a house sale where the buyer will not take the plant, and a change of refrigerant strategy that decommissions the old circuit. If the pipes are opened or the unit is cut up, the gas has to be in a cylinder first. Scrap metal value does not include a licence to cut the pipework on the pavement. The outdoor unit, the indoor unit and the charge are one regulated job before they are a recycling job. Recovery is mandatory. Venting is illegal. A broken system can still hold refrigerant. A certified person recovers it whether or not the compressor runs. GOV.UK publishes certification for companies working on equipment containing F-gas.
Who books the cylinder, and why old copper is a new design
The F-gas operator, the person with actual control of the equipment, arranges recovery. In a shop that may be the tenant or the landlord, depending on the lease. The contractor who attends must hold the right company certification and use certified people. Ask for a waste note or the contractor's record of how much of which gas was recovered. File it. The next inspection of your other plant, and any future buyer, may ask what happened to the old charge. Where that other plant is large enough, GOV.UK air conditioning inspections are a separate duty from this recovery record. The operator should keep the record, with a copy from the certified contractor showing the gas and the quantity recovered. Ask for that line on the invoice. Do not assume a council bulky-waste collection recovers F-gas. Arrange recovery with a certified company before the equipment is scrapped. Recovering the old gas does not make the old pipes a home for a new refrigerant. A new system is specified on its own terms: capacity, oil, pipe sizes the new manual allows, electrics and drain. Sometimes pipes are reused after the manufacturer's conditions are met. That is a survey decision, not a consequence of having emptied the old unit. Do not ask a general builder to drop the outdoor unit at the tip on the way to the next job. Build the certified recovery into the programme before the ceiling comes down. As a 2026 illustration, recovery on a small split is often a few hundred pounds including VAT when it is part of a replacement visit, and more when it is a standalone call to a roof plant with access equipment. Energy Saving Trust's air-to-air pages describe the equipment being taken out of service. They do not describe the cylinder.
A price that is silent on refrigerant
Refuse any proposal to cut the pipes and let the gas go, to run the unit until it is empty, or to walk away from a leaking system because it is being demolished next month. A short remaining life does not suspend the duty. Refuse a price that is silent on refrigerant. Silence is how venting gets implied. The same GOV.UK rules sit behind a single bedroom split and a shop VRF. Scale changes the cylinder count. It does not change the prohibition. The removal quote should state that recovery is included.
Frequently asked questions
Can I cut the pipes if the system is already broken?
No. A broken system can still hold refrigerant. A certified person recovers it. Venting is illegal whether or not the compressor runs.
Does the council bulky-waste collection recover the gas?
Do not assume a general collection recovers F-gas. Arrange recovery with a certified company before the equipment is scrapped, and keep the record.
Who keeps the recovery record?
The operator should keep it, with a copy from the certified contractor showing the gas and the quantity recovered. Ask for that line on the invoice.
Does emptying the old unit mean the old pipes can take a new gas?
No. Recovering the old gas does not make the old pipes a home for a new refrigerant. Sometimes pipes are reused after the manufacturer's conditions are met. That is a survey decision, not a consequence of having emptied the old unit.
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How this guide was prepared
This guide was written by the Local AC Installers Editorial Team. We compare official guidance, legislation and established consumer information, separate general information from project-specific advice, and show publication dates and sources. We do not accept installer accreditation claims at face value.