The New York State Department of Environment Conservation (or NYSDEC) has since paused part of its recent refrigerant regulations. Specifically, the ones that banned the distribution or sale of bulk regulated substances with GWP100 greater than 2,200. The ban, that led to grocers with broken down equipment and no way to service it, was enforced on January 9, 2025. But, in early February, the NYSDEC announced that the enforcement date has been delayed until April 9, 2025. In addition, the prohibition of the bulk sale of two common refrigerants used by supermarkets and restaurants — R-404A and R-507A — won’t be enforced until next year. Initially the DEC wanted businesses to use recycled refrigerants to service systems but according to HARDI’s CEO, Talbot Gee, in a recent editorial, “there just isn’t enough recycled refrigerant to meet demand.” New York by itself needs as much as 783,000 pounds of refrigerant a year, he said, and in 2023, there was only 880,000 pounds of the type of recycled refrigerant used by supermarkets available. So, the delay provides a relief to grocers as now the prohibition of their bulk refrigerant sales has been pushed, and R-404A and R-507A will be allowed to be sold through the end of the year.

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