The HVACR industry understands the importance of regulations in driving technology innovation and improvements in safety and environmental sustainability. Specific to refrigerants, while regulations that have driven the eventual elimination or “phaseout” of ozone depleting substances (CFCs and HCFCs) have been in place for several decades and are familiar to most in the industry, newer regulations implemented or taking shape in recent years to address climate change with an HFC “phase-down” are frequently misunderstood or sometimes intentionally misrepresented.
Since HFC phasedown regulations are already in place in some parts of the world — such as the European Union, Japan, Canada, and the United States — and they are starting to take shape in other developing countries, it is important to take a closer look at the distinctions that our industry needs to understand.