The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced it is reducing the amount of HCFC-22 that can be produced or imported to 62.8 million pounds in 2013.
When it comes to R-744 (CO2) as a refrigeration refrigerant, things seem to be more stable in stationary usage than in transportation applications. In the latter, the European automotive sector is looking beyond HFC for refrigerants in air conditioning.
On April 5, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Department of Justice announced a Clean Air Act settlement with Tyson Foods Inc. and several of its affiliates to address threats of accidental chemical releases after anhydrous ammonia was released during incidents at facilities in Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, and Nebraska.
At some point, a refrigerant brought back for reclamation simply can’t be brought back to ARI-700 purity standards. There are a couple of approaches, including, destruction, which has a long track record, and, another option, conversion, offers a much fresher approach.
Ongoing discussions are currently underway, examining ways to incorporate HFCs into the protocol in order to phase down their use due to relatively high global warming potential (GWP).
The reality is that in 2012, and thus far in 2013, few technicians and contractors are bringing R-22 back for reclamation despite an abundance of capacity at many reclamation facilities.
While the reclamation process may not be meeting industry expectations, numerous manufacturers are offering equipment and devices that make the process easier than ever before.