The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced that it had listed low-GWP refrigerant, R-1233zd(E), as an acceptable substitute refrigerant in its Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) program. 

EPA finds R–1233zd(E) acceptable in cold storage warehouses (new equipment only), ice skating rinks (new equipment only), and industrial process air conditioning (new equipment only) end uses because it does not pose greater overall environmental and human health risk than other available substitutes in the same end-uses.

For ice skating rinks and industrial process air conditioning, R–1233zd(E)’s GWP of about 3.7 is comparable to or lower than that of other acceptable substitutes for new equipment such as ammonia absorption, CO2, R-450A, R-513A, and R-507A, with GWPs ranging from zero to 3,990.

Flammability and toxicity risks are comparable to or lower than flammability and toxicity risks of other available substitutes in the same end uses. Toxicity risks can be minimized by use consistent with the ASHRAE 15 and other industry standards, recommendations in the manufacturer’s SDS, and other safety precautions common in the refrigeration and air conditioning industry.

R–1233zd(E) is a non-flammable refrigerant and is marketed under the trade name Solstice®zd, also known as trans-1-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoroprop-1-ene.