WASHINGTON — On Dec. 9, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael S. Regan signed the American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act Technology Transitions Notice of Proposed Rulemaking. This rulemaking proposes to restrict the use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) in specific sectors or subsectors responding to the petitions filed by AHRI and other stakeholders granted last year.

• The EPA proposed to limit the global warming potential (GWP) of refrigerants in new comfort cooling equipment manufactured on or after Jan. 1, 2025, to 700 GWP. Exception: Variable refrigerant flow (VRF) has a proposed deadline for equipment manufactured on or after Jan. 1, 2026, with the same GWP limit.
• EPA proposed to limit the GWP of refrigerants used in new refrigeration equipment manufactured on or after Jan. 1, 2025, to levels as requested in Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) petitions. Exception: Automatic commercial ice machines (ACIM) GWP proposed limit of 150 GWP on the same date.

 

The regulation must be finalized by October 2023, and comments are due Jan. 30. An EPA stakeholder meeting is likely to be held the week of Dec. 26. For more information, visit https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-proposes-rule-advance-transition-safer-more-efficient-heating-and-cooling.