On Wednesday, April 3, 2013, the U.S. EPA HCFC Allocation Final Rule went into effect for the time period 2012-2014 adjusting the allowance system controlling U.S. consumption and production of HCFCs.
Total industry-wide allocations in the Final Rule are as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 2009 Rule |
79 |
69 |
0 |
| 2012 Proposed Rule Range |
46-69 |
36-58 |
0 |
| Final Rule |
63 |
51 |
0 |
Allocations for 2015-2019 have yet to be determined. Stay tuned for further updates from the EPA as they work through the regulatory process.
The bottom line is that R-22 is still going away. Service practices need to be improved including leak reduction, use of R-22 reclaim services, and R-22 system conversions to retrofit products like DuPont™ ISCEON® MO99™. The EPA model continues to look to recovered and/or reclaimed R-22 to make-up any anticipated supply shortfall.
For details on the recently published Final Rule, go to the Federal Register web site, Protection of Stratospheric Ozone: Adjustments to the Allowance System for Controlling HCFC Production, Import, and Export .
What can you do?
To protect your business, develop and implement a Refrigerant Management Plan (RMP) that includes managing your R-22 inventory. Return recovered R-22 and other refrigerants to a DuPont Authorized Reclaim Center. All recovered refrigerants are handled in an environmentally responsible manner according to the EPA Reclaimer Certification Program under Section 608 of the Clean Air Act.
The increasing price for R-22, uncertainty of supply due to the further reductions to the HCFC production and import allowances imposed by the U.S. EPA has created illegal import activity in the black market. Contractors and wholesalers, however, can take steps to protect themselves. Be wary of low priced R-22 and unknown refrigerant brands and labels. Buy the brands you know and trust, and purchase from a reputable supplier. If you knowingly purchase or possess illegal hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) or chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) smuggled into the U.S., you can face criminal charges according to the EPA. Learn what DuPont is doing to provide immediate visual verification that you have purchased genuine DuPont refrigerant under the DuPont Refrigerants Brand Assurance Anti-Counterfeiting Initiative.
For information about the penalties for purchasing illegal R-22 and how to make sure the refrigerant gas you buy is legal, read the EPA’s Black Market CFCs/HCFCs and You website.
You can also report violations directly to the EPA at epa.gov/compliance/complaints/index.html.
