Oct 6 [press release] -- Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the latest actions to phase down climate-damaging hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) under the bipartisan American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act, building on the Biden-Harris Administration’s progress in accomplishing an initial 10% reduction and helping achieve an 85% reduction by 2036. 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 of HFCs where alternatives are already available. The second action is a proposed rule to better manage and reuse existing HFCs, including by reducing wasteful leaks from equipment and supporting a growing American industry for HFC recycling and reclamation. . . .
Under the AIM Act, the Biden-Harris Administration is phasing down HFCs to achieve a 40% reduction of HFCs starting in 2024 and an 85% reduction by 2036. Today’s actions will support the national phasedown, including through an additional $4.5 billion in estimated savings for industry and consumers, while supporting good-paying American manufacturing jobs to produce the next generation of equipment and HFC alternatives. . . .
The proposed program to manage emissions reduction and reclamation of HFCs and their substitutes would help minimize HFC leaks across the lifespan of existing equipment, such as air conditioners and refrigeration systems, while also maximizing the reuse of existing HFCs—supporting a growing American industry for recovering HFCs from existing equipment and reclaiming them to be used again, all while reducing lifecycle emissions. The proposed rule includes requirements for repairing leaky equipment, use of automatic leak detection systems on large refrigeration systems, use of reclaimed HFCs for certain applications, recovery of HFCs from cylinders before their disposal, and a container tracking system. . . . The proposed rule on an HFC emissions reduction and reclamation program is estimated to prevent at least an additional 142 MMTCO2e of HFC emissions over the same time, an incremental net benefit of at least $6.1 billion. . . .
EPA will accept comments on the proposed rulemaking, “Management of Certain Hydrofluorocarbons and Substitutes under Subsection (h) of the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act of 2020,” for 60 days after publication in the Federal Register and hold a public hearing.
Press release:
https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/biden-harris-administration-advances-latest-actions-address-climate-damaging-hfc
Technology Transitions Restrictions on the Use of Certain HFCs under Subsection (i) of the AIM Act -- final rule
https://www.epa.gov/climate-hfcs-reduction/regulatory-actions-technology-transitions
Management of Certain Hydrofluorocarbons and Substitutes under Subsection (h) of the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act: Proposed Rule Overview
https://www.epa.gov/climate-hfcs-reduction/management-certain-hydrofluorocarbons-and-substitutes-under-subsection-h
