US: R134a, R410A and R407C could be banned in chillers from 2025

AHRI and NRDC issue joint letter supporting EPA SNAP proposal to prohibit R134a, R410A and R407C in new chillers from 2025.
AHRI and NRDC issue joint letter supporting EPA SNAP proposal to prohibit R134a, R410A and R407C in new chillers from 2025.

The US EPA is preparing regulations under the Clean Air Act’s Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) programme with deadlines for ending use of HFCs in applications where safer alternatives are available. EPA issued a first-round SNAP rule in July 2015. The second SNAP rule will cover more categories of equipment, including chillers, and will be proposed and finalised this year.

The Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) have engaged in discussions on the importance of responsibly moving beyond high-GWP refrigerants used in chillers. Considerations have included the safety of alternatives, the continued improvement of system energy efficiency, reasonable product development timelines, and the avoidance of market migration.

With these factors in mind, AHRI and NRDC support EPA finalizing the following changes of status: remove R134a, R410A, and R407C from the list of acceptable substitutes in all new air-cooled and water-cooled chillers using centrifugal, screw, scroll, and all other compressor types effective January 1, 2025.

The two bodies emphasised their belief that the eight-year window will provide adequate time for manufacturers to develop low-GWP alternatives that meet all the required safety and technical standards.