The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency – EPA- is proposing to ban the use of certain hydro-fluorocarbon chemicals that it claims significantly contribute to climate change. This is the agency’s second action aimed at reducing emissions of HFCs, a class of potent greenhouse gases. (Read AutoInformed.co on: Volkswagen to use CO2 as Air Conditioning Refrigerant, and New “Eco Friendly” Refrigerant Can Burn in Accidents Says Mercedes)
This action is estimated to reduce greenhouse gases by up to 42 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2020, equal to the carbon dioxide emissions from the annual electricity use of more than five million homes.
Under the Clean Air Act, EPA’s Significant New Alternatives Policy – SNAP – program evaluates substitute chemicals and technologies that are safe for the ozone layer. Today’s proposed action would change the status of certain high-global warming potential or GWP HFCs that were previously listed as acceptable to be unacceptable in specific end-uses. EPA claims the revised policy is based on information showing that other alternatives are available for the same uses that pose lower risk overall to human health or the climate.
The HFCs and HFC-containing blends affected by today’s proposal are used in aerosols, automotive air conditioning, retail food refrigeration, vending machines, and foam blowing.
