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1. The intentional release of ozone-depleting substances into the atmosphere, including when contained in products and equipment, shall be prohibited where the release is not technically necessary for the intended uses permitted under this Regulation.

2. Undertakings shall take all necessary precautions to prevent and minimise any unintentional release of ozone-depleting substances during production, including where a release is inadvertently produced in the course of the production of other chemicals, equipment manufacturing process, use, storage and transfer from one container or system to another or transport.

3. Operators of refrigeration and air conditioning equipment or heat pumps, or fire protection systems, including their circuits, which contain ozone-depleting substances listed in Annex I shall ensure that stationary equipment or systems:

(a) with a fluid charge of 3 kg or more but less than 30 kg of ozone-depleting substances listed in Annex I are checked for leaks at least once every 12 months, with the exception of equipment with hermetically sealed systems which are labelled as such and contain less than 6 kg of ozone-depleting substances listed in Annex I;

(b) with a fluid charge of 30 kg or more but less than 300 kg of ozone-depleting substances listed in Annex I are checked for leaks at least once every 6 months;

(c) with a fluid charge of 300 kg or more of ozone-depleting substances listed in Annex I are checked for leaks at least once every 3 months.

4. Operators of equipment or systems containing ozone-depleting substances shall ensure that any detected leakage is repaired without undue delay, without prejudice to the prohibition to use those ozone-depleting substances, unless such recovery is regulated under other Union legal acts.

5. Operators referred to in paragraph 4 shall keep records of the quantity and type of halons added and of ozone-depleting substances listed in Annex I recovered during maintenance or servicing and final disposal of the equipment or systems referred to in that paragraph. They shall also keep records of other relevant information, including the identification of the undertaking which performed leak checks, the maintenance or servicing, as well as the dates and results of the leak checks carried out. Those records shall be kept for at least 5 years and shall be made available, upon request, to the competent authority of the Member State concerned or to the Commission.

6. Member States shall establish the minimum qualification requirements for the personnel carrying out activities referred to in paragraphs 3 and 4.