“This is an important and necessary step in our ongoing efforts to reach Maryland’s greenhouse gas reduction goals,” said Gov. Larry Hogan. “Our administration is committed to climate leadership by preventing pollution and partnering with other states, businesses, and advocates to make critical progress toward protecting and preserving our environment.”

“These fast-acting super-pollutants are a major threat to our climate progress and deserve to be phased out at the state and federal level,” said Maryland Department of the Environment Secretary Ben Grumbles.

In moving to phase out HFCs, Maryland is acting in concert with commitments of the U. S. Climate Alliance and other states that are alliance members to reduce climate-harming “super pollutants” such as HFCs. Grumbles represented Maryland at the Global Climate Action Summit in San Francisco.

Under a federal Clean Air Act program designed to identify and evaluate alternatives to stratospheric ozone-depleting substances, HFCs have been one of the most common alternatives. However, HFCs are extremely potent greenhouse gases. One pound of one type of HFC is as potent as as much as 1,400 pounds of carbon dioxide.

After efforts have stalled at the federal level, states have begun their own phase out initiatives. The Maryland Department of the Environment intends to develop regulations similar to those in development in California, which would phase out the use of certain HFCs in foam products and in refrigeration equipment in retail establishments, such as supermarkets. The phase out of HFCs will encourage the use of substances with lower greenhouse gas emissions. Products with alternatives to HFCs are already available. Other states in the United States Climate Alliance are expected to take similar steps.

Publication date: 9/17/2018

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