EPA Approves New Climate-Friendly Refrigerants/Rule supports
president’s Climate Action Plan by curbing emissions of potent
greenhouse gases
Release Date: 03/02/2015
Contact Information: Enesta Jones, jones.enesta@epa.gov, (202) 564-7873,
(202) 564-4355
WASHINGTON – As part of President Obama’s Climate Action Plan,
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is increasing the options
for refrigerants used in various kinds of refrigeration and air
conditioning equipment in the United States that offer better climate
protection without harming the ozone layer. This final action addresses
refrigerants under the Climate Action Plan that calls on EPA’s
Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) Program to identify and
approve additional climate-friendly chemicals.
“Today’s rule is an example of how we can turn the challenge of climate
change into an opportunity to innovate our way to a better future,” said
EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy. “By working together, businesses and
EPA are bringing new, climate-friendly refrigerants to market that
better protect our health and the environment.”
Under the authority of the Clean Air Act, EPA’s SNAP Program evaluates
substitute chemicals and technologies that are safe for the ozone layer.
This final rule expands the list of SNAP-approved substitutes to include
more low-global warming potential (GWP) alternatives that can replace
both the ozone-depleting substances and high-GWP hydrofluorocarbons
(HFCs). The approved substitutes have GWPs that range from 3 to 675 and
can replace older compounds with GWPs between 1400 to 4000.
After receiving input from industry, environmental groups, and others,
EPA is approving additional low-GWP hydrocarbon refrigerants, subject to
use conditions, in the following refrigeration and air conditioning
applications:
• Ethane in very low temperature refrigeration and in non-mechanical
heat transfer;
• Isobutane in retail food refrigeration (stand-alone commercial
refrigerators and freezers) and in vending machines;
• Propane in household refrigerators, freezers, or combination
refrigerators and freezers, in vending machines, and in room air
conditioning units;
• The hydrocarbon blend R-441A in retail food refrigeration (stand-alone
commercial refrigerators and freezers), in vending machines and in room
air conditioning units; and
• HFC-32 (difluoromethane) in room air
conditioning units. HFC-32 has one-third the GWP of the conventional
refrigerants currently being used in room air conditioning units.
These refrigerants are already in use in many of these applications in
Europe and Asia.
In addition to adding these climate-friendly alternatives, EPA is also
exempting all of these substances, except HFC-32, from the Clean Air Act
venting prohibition, as current evidence suggests that their venting,
release, or disposal does not pose a threat to the environment.
Learn more about EPA’s SNAP Program and this rule:
http://www.epa.gov/ozone/snap/index.html
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