News

DuPont has called for intensified actions to address the potential for a significant R-22 refrigerant shortfall beginning in 2010.  The company's actions come as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently issued a proposed allocation rule that projects a 27.5 million pound supply shortfall, based on demand projections for the air conditioning and refrigerant service aftermarket. 

DuPont is taking steps to conserve R-22 by increased efforts to reclaim it and by retrofitting equipment with R-22 replacements like DuPont™ ISCEON® refrigerants.  DuPont has expanded and improved its Refrigerant Reclaim Program to support industry educational initiatives to ensure refrigerant users understand the effects of the recently proposed regulations, and are able to put effective refrigerant management programs into place in advance of the R-22 shortfall in 2010.

“To avoid shortfalls, the industry will need to rely on the recovery and reuse of recycled and reclaimed R-22, as well as retrofits of existing equipment to hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) replacement products such as DuPont™ ISCEON® refrigerants,” said Diane Iuliano Picho, global business manager, DuPont Refrigerants.  “DuPont is taking action to keep customers informed on the potential impact these new regulations could have on businesses.  We are expanding our reclaim program to make it easier to use, and will continue to offer DuPont™ ISCEON® refrigerants, which have become the No. 1 retrofit refrigerant worldwide.”

DuPont™ ISCEON® refrigerants have saved supermarket chains up to USD 25,000 per retrofitted store — resulting in the lowest total cost of ownership of any R-22 alternative.  ISCEON® refrigerants have been field tested and demonstrate up to 12 percent more energy savings than R-22 in low temperature equipment, and offer 32 percent lower global warming potential than R404A.  Retrofitting to HFCs such as ISCEON® refrigerants, as part of a well-designed refrigerant management plan, puts businesses in a better position to avoid anticipated supply and labor issues as the phase-out of hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), including R-22, draws closer.