On September 30, 2022, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law Senate Bill (SB) 1206, which prohibits the sale or distribution of bulk HFCs that exceed a specified GWP. This means that in the near future, it will no longer be possible to buy virgin refrigerants, such as R-410A, R-404A, and R-134a, and reclaimed refrigerant will be the only option to service existing air conditioners and commercial refrigeration equipment.
Under the new bill, starting January 1, 2025, the sale of bulk refrigerants exceeding GWP 2,200 GWP ― such as R-404A and R-507 ― will no longer be allowed. As of January 1, 2030, the GWP may not exceed 1,500, so the sale of bulk R-410A will be prohibited, and on January 1, 2033, the GWP may not exceed 750 (e.g., popular refrigeration retrofit refrigerants such as R-448A and R-449A).