If it sometimes seems confusing and difficult to identify and keep track of the various treaties and regulations that are having an effect on the refrigerants industry, that’s because it is. Here is a brief primer.

In March, the EPA approved several low-GWP hydrocarbon refrigerants for use in refrigeration and air conditioning applications, subject to use conditions. The approval drew a mixture of reactions ranging from support to concern.

He acknowledges the proposed compliance requirements are not feasible and would cause considerable harm, result in economic job losses, and may increase — not decrease — risks to the American public. Whitfield said this opinion was the consensus of the most affected industries, including the air conditioning and refrigeration sectors.

In the evolving world of refrigerants, the HVACR industry is preparing for the inclusion of mildly flammable or flammable refrigerants in an increasing number of applications. But the expanded use of these refrigerants won’t happen overnight, as there is a multistep approval process they must undergo to be approved for new applications.

The refrigeration industry may have a new folk hero on its hands. On April 1, Rep. Ed Whitfield, R-Kentucky, sent a letter to Gina McCarthy, administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In it, Whitfield mapped out a number of “significant concerns” regarding EPA’s proposed rule that seeks to restrict the use of HFCs.

The EPA announced it’s increasing the options for refrigerants used in various types of refrigeration and air conditioning equipment in the U.S. to offer alternatives with low global warming potential. 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced it is increasing the options for refrigerants used in various types of refrigeration and air conditioning equipment in the United States to offer alternatives with low global warming potential (GWP).