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WR Item for Minister on SLF progress and licensing
RPSS training requirement
The emissions reductions associated with the Regulated Product Stewardship Scheme
for Synthetic Refrigerants (RPSS) stem from introducing an industry-recognised training
standard by 2028. The RPSS training requirement aims to ensure all those purchasing
synthetic refrigerants are capable of preventing synthetic refrigerant leaks and are
aware of the environmental benefits associated with leak prevention.
The establishment of the RPSS is enabled via the Waste Minimisation Act 2008.
Consequently, any training requirements introduced under the WMA are restricted in
scope to areas of waste minimisation/environmental benefit.
MBIE licensing regime
From 2019-2024, MBIE were progressing a licensing regime for all HVAC-R technicians.
While the proposed RPSS training requirement is restricted in scope to waste
minimisation/environmental benefit, MBIE’s licensing regime work has a much broader
scope with a health and safety focus. In November 2024, MBIE’s work on the licensing
regime was paused while a fundamental review of New Zealand’s health and safety
regulatory system is undertaken.
Many HVAC-R stakeholders have advocated that the licensing work MBIE was
progressing be the ‘catch-all’ for any Government required training. Many stakeholders
have a preference for work on the licensing scheme to be re-instated and for any RPSS
training requirements to be imbedded within a licensing scheme.
RPSS qualification development
The Senior Leadership Forum (SLF) is a working group that Cool-Safe established to
develop a RPSS training qualification. The SLF has been tasked with recommending a
specific RPSS qualification focused on leak prevention/environmental benefit to be
formalised by Hanga-Aro-Rau and the Tertiary Education Commission.
SLF progress has been slower than expected. The SLF have been meeting since March
2024. However, the SLF has yet to recommend any details of specific unit standards or
what an overall RPSS qualification could entail.
s 9(2)(g)(i), s 9(2)(ba)(i)
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s 9(2)(g)(i), s 9(2)(ba)(i)
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