NORTHBROOK, Ill. - UL announced three initiatives to help the appliance and HVACR
industries achieve compliance of proposed new refrigerants with the U.S. Clean
Air Act’s criteria for ozone-friendly products. Anticipating introduction of
flammable refrigerants in appliances and HVACR products and leveraging its role
as a safety standards developer, UL is facilitating a comprehensive review by
stakeholders of the readiness of the U.S. safety system for the use of these
alternative refrigerants. An important component of meeting this need, said UL,
is to understand the safety risks associated with the installation, use,
servicing, and disposal of products using flammable refrigerants, including
hydrocarbons (HCs).
First, UL hosted a “Flammable
Refrigerant Stakeholder Forum” with representatives from the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA), U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), fire
and mechanical code committees, industry associations, installation and product
safety standards committees, and other stakeholders to discuss the impact of
significant market penetration of flammable refrigerants in non-industrial applications,
and to identify gaps in current codes and safety standards.
“We are pleased that UL
took the lead in organizing this much needed forum,” said Cindy Newberg, EPA
Branch Chief. “It fostered dialogue among a broad range of stakeholders as the
use of hydrocarbon refrigerants increases in North America.”
Then, UL released a white
paper addressing the ongoing efforts to prepare for widespread use of HCs in
HVACR equipment and appliances. UL is using the white paper,Revisiting
Flammable Refrigerants,
to raise awareness among stakeholders to help them prepare for the widespread
use of flammable refrigerants in consumer and commercial appliances including,
in the future, air conditioning. The paper highlights the global market’s extensive
HC experience and discusses the need for education and training for installers,
service personnel, operators of storage and retail facilities, fire fighters,
and inspection professionals in the U.S.
Finally, UL hosted a “Joint
Task Group” standards meeting on the use of flammable refrigerants at the 2011
International Air Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Exposition (AHR Expo) in
Las Vegas. UL
Standards Technical Panel (STP) members joined with key stakeholders to develop
recommendations for HVACR product safety standards.
To download a copy ofRevisiting
Flammable Refrigerants, visit
www.uluniversity.com/thoughtleadership.
To learn more about related testing and certification services, visit UL.com/hvacr.
Publication date:02/07/2011
