WILMINGTON, Del. — DuPont Refrigerants is asking the HVACR industry to be aware of the use of any potential counterfeit and illegally imported refrigerant products, with special attention paid to R-22 and R-438A.

“There have been a number of indications in the marketplace that illegal imports are on the rise as well as illegally imported China-produced R-438A,” said Jim Bachman, North American sales and marketing manager, DuPont Refrigerants. “We encourage vigilance and smart procurement practices. It is more important than ever to know who you’re buying from.”

Every DuPont-produced refrigerant in non-refillable containers (DACs) is embossed with a unique DuPontIZON hologram identifier. This authentication security device, located on the cylinder, certifies that the product is genuine DuPont.

Illegally imported R-22 and R-22 substitutes have been found to contain a combination of hydrocarbons, which make the refrigerants flammable. Often these knock-off refrigerants do not have approval under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) Program and pose a significant risk to business owners and equipment owners, both financially and from a safety standpoint.

“We are asking distributors, contractors, and end-users to alert DuPont if they encounter products in the marketplace that may be illegally imported,” said Bachman. “We have become aware of products in the marketplace that mirror the marketing claims and product packaging of DuPont ISCEON MO99 refrigerant. The ISCEON MO99 brand has tremendous market awareness, making it a target for illegal imports.”

Publication date: 4/15/2013