The Environmental Protection Agency proposed new regulations to phase out the use of potent hydrofluorocarbons in refrigeration and other common products, the latest in a suite of rules the Biden administration has introduced to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The EPA’s rule would restrict the use of HFCs in refrigeration, air conditioning, and heat pump equipment beginning in 2025 by prohibiting the manufacture and import of products containing the gases. It would also regulate the presence of HFCs in foam products and aerosols.
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HFCs are often called “super pollutants” because of their high global warming potential, a measure of how much energy a single ton of a gas absorbs relative to one ton of carbon dioxide.
The EPA issued its rulemaking Friday under directions provided in the bipartisan American Innovation and Manufacturing Act, which Congress passed in December 2020. The law authorizes the EPA to limit or prohibit the use of HFCs in specific sectors and to phase in manufacturing requirements.
“This proposal will support a transition away from super-pollutant HFCs in key sectors of our economy while promoting American leadership in manufacturing of new climate-safe products, making our nation more globally competitive and delivering significant environmental and economic benefits,” Administrator Michael Regan said.
The EPA estimated the rule would save industry and consumers between $5 billion to $8 billion from 2025 through 2050 as a result of improved energy efficiency in refrigeration, AC, and heat pump products.
In September, Congress approved additional legislation to phase out HFCs by ratifying the Kigali Amendment, an addition to the 1987 Montreal Protocol ozone protection treaty. The amendment adds HFCs to the list of ozone-depleting gases that signatories agree to limit.
The EPA said it does not expect the rule to add a significant cost burden to small manufacturers, finding that approximately 162 of the 51,047 potentially affected small businesses might incur costs in excess of 1% of annual sales, while approximately 110 small businesses could incur costs in excess of 3% of annual sales.
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The Biden administration has proposed or finalized a number of regulations designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve energy efficiency in various technologies, including lightbulbs, pool heaters, and clothes dryers.
