In 2014, the EPA made it’s biggest splash on Oct. 16, when Gina McCarthy, administrator, EPA, signed the final rule pertaining to allowances for virgin production and importation of HCFCs, primarily R-22, for 2015 through 2019.

As the pending EPA phaseout diminishes supplies, the demand for R-22 is likely to increase, which may trigger additional criminal activity.

HVACR industry associations, manufacturers, end users, and fluorocarbon producers met with senior White House officials to show support and voluntary commitments to phase down HFCs. Industry coalition the Alliance for Responsible Atmospheric Policy and the White House hosted the event Sept. 16 at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building.

China has said it will drastically cut HFC emissions by 280 million tonnes of CO2 — similar to the annual carbon footprint of Spain.

HFC producers’ body, the EFTC (European Fluorocarbons Technical Committee) has issued a position paper encouraging adoption of the proposed amendment to the Montreal Protocol for a global HFC cap and phase-down.

The industry should start getting comfortable with HCs, CO₂, HFOs, and A2L refrigerants, just like a previous generation got used to those newfangled chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs).

The Alliance for Responsible Atmospheric Policy has offered its support for the negotiation of an amendment to the Montreal Protocol to include HFCs as part of it.

What has changed over the past 25 years or so is the recovery equipment, and the latest generation of such equipment is a considerable improvement over that of the first generation.

Europe is now only a year away from a total ban on R-22 and other hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs). And the European HVAC industry has to act fast to get the message across to customers.