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On October 6, 2023, the EPA announced two regulations in the continued crusade to phase down the use of super-polluting hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). The first new action is a final rule to accelerate the ongoing transition to more efficient and climate-safe technologies in new refrigeration, heating, and cooling systems and other products by restricting the use […]
The EPA will likely restrict the use of some common hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants, including R134a, R410A, and R407C, in refrigeration and air conditioning equipment, as well as some foam production operations. The EPA has granted, or partially granted, 11 petitions submitted by industry and environmental groups in response to the recently passed American Innovation and […]
Congress enacted the American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act on December 27, 2021, which gives the EPA authority to: Phase down production and consumption of hydrofluorocarbons (HFC). Maximize reclamation, and minimize HFC releases from equipment. Facilitate the transition to next-generation technologies through sector-based restrictions on HFCs. The final rule, issued by the EPA in late […]
The EPA is proposing to phase down the production and consumption of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which are highly potent greenhouse gases (GHGs) commonly used in refrigerators, air conditioners, and many other applications. This is the EPA’s first proposed ruling under the American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act of 2020.
Following a second look at its authority under the Clean Air Act (CAA), the EPA has issued a final rule rescinding the leak-repair requirements of a 2016 rule the Obama EPA issued for refrigerants used to replace Class I or II ozone-depleting substances (ODSs).
We recently encountered a list of the 10 most common Clean Air Act (CAA) violations, which included failure of facilities to track the loss of regulated refrigerants from equipment. (Seven of the other violations relate to permits.) In fact, tracking the loss of a refrigerant and recordkeeping in general are major responsibilities under EPA’s refrigerant […]
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently finalized broad changes to its refrigerant management regulations under 40 CFR 82. Those owning, operating, maintaining, servicing, repairing, or disposing of air-conditioning and refrigeration equipment will all be impacted by these revisions. The most significant change extends the regulations for ozone-depleting refrigerants to non-ozone- depleting substitutes through an […]
In anticipation of international adoption of an amendment to the Montreal Protocol and also in fulfillment of parts of President Obama’s June 2013 Climate Action Plan (CAP), the EPA has issued two final rules that will reduce releases of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and ozone-depleting substances (ODSs) to the atmosphere.