Many refrigerant manufacturers stand prepared after EPA alters refrigerant lists
HFC-FREE: Aspects of future refrigerants are reflected in this chart at the booth of Arkema at the 2015 AHR Expo.
The July 2 ruling from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that sets forth the timeframes for the phaseout of certain hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) in specific applications presents some challenges for the refrigeration industry. The ruling also presents new opportunities for growth of the natural refrigerants market.
The ruling, however, was not unexpected, and it did not catch many of the major refrigerant manufacturers flatfooted. In fact, several of these companies have invested millions of dollars into research and development of low-GWP (global-warming potential) refrigerants, resulting in a number of options for contractors seeking alternatives to the refrigerants that have been delisted under the EPA’s recent rule, “Protection of Stratospheric Ozone: Change of Listing Status for Certain Substitutes under the Significant New Alternatives Policy Program [SNAP].”
