TRANSITIONING TO LOW-GWP

ALTERNATIVES IN DOMESTIC REFRIGERATION

Background 

This fact sheet1 provides current information on low-Global Warming Potential (GWP) alternatives in newly manufactured domestic refrigeration 

equipment relevant to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. 

In 2009, an estimated 1.5–1.8 billion domestic refrigerators and freezers were in operation worldwide. Approximately 100 million new units are produced 

and sold annually. Domestic refrigerators/freezers typically contain 0.05–0.25 kg of refrigerant and up to 1 kg of blowing agent for the insulating foam. 

Charge sizes in the United States have decreased over the years but are larger than those in Europe and Japan; units in Europe and Japan typically 

contain about 15–25% less refrigerant charge and 50% less blowing 

agent. The expected lifetime of these units is 15–20 years. 

Domestic refrigeration accounts for less than 1% of HFC consumption in 

the refrigeration/AC sector and approximately 11% of HFC consumption 

in the foams sector; combined, this accounts for nearly 2% of global HFC 

consumption in 2010. Developing countries account for approximately 

12% of the global HFCs consumed as refrigerants and blowing agents 

within the domestic refrigeration end-use.

Japan’s Experience 

In 2002, Japan, a major producer of domestic refrigerators/

freezers, introduced its first hydrocarbon (HC) refrigerators 

onto the market. HC refrigerants, especially R-600a, have since 

dominated the Japanese domestic refrigeration market and are 

continuing to grow in market share.

2010 HFC Consumption

(Estimates Presented in MMTCO2eq.)

Foams 

(11%)

Aerosols

(5%)

Fire Extinguishing

(4%)

Solvents

(1%)

Domestic Refrigeration 

Developed Countries

(<1%)

Appliance Foam

Developed Countries

(11%)

Appliance Foam

Developing Countries

(0%)

Domestic Refrigeration

Developing Countries

(<1%)

Refrigeration/

Other Foams AC (79%)

(89%)

Other 

Refrigeration/AC

(>99%)

Global HFC Consumption Foams Total: 124 MMTCO2eq.

Global HFC Consumption Appliance Foam: 13 MMTCO2eq.

Global Consumption Ref/AC Sector Total: 858 MMTCO2eq.

Global Consumption Ref/AC Sector Domestic Refrigeration: 3 MMTCO2eq.

Global HFC Consumption Total: 1,087 MMTCO2

eq.

Global HFC Consumption Domestic Refrigeration: 16 MMTCO2eq.

HFC Alternatives and Market Trends

CFC-12 refrigerant and CFC-11 blown foam were historically used in this equipment. In response to the CFC phaseout, HFC-134a was selected as the 

substitute refrigerant in most countries, while hydrocarbons (HCs) were widely adopted throughout Europe and Japan. The majority of new domestic 

refrigerators/freezers are manufactured with R-134a. More than 400 million HC units are in use worldwide. In China alone, 75% of new domestic 

refrigerators/freezers use isobutane refrigerant (R-600a). It is predicted that in 10 years, 75% of new units globally will use HC refrigerants. 

CFC-11 foam blowing agent was replaced in most countries with HCFC-141b, which in turn has been replaced by HFC-134a, HFC-245fa, HFC-365mfc, 

or HCs. Units produced in Europe and Japan have relied on HC foam blowing agents for years, while a smaller percentage have transitioned to this 

alternative in other developed countries (e.g., an estimated 20% of units sold today in the United States contain HC blown foam). 
Refrigerants: R-134a has been the primary refrigerant used in 

domestic refrigerators/freezers since the phaseout of R-12. However, due 

to the high GWP of R-134a, there has been increasing interest in adopting 

climate-friendly refrigerants. 

R-600a (Isobutane)

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•

•

Contains 40% less refrigerant charge than R-134a systems

Used in all European and Japanese refrigerators/freezers and majority 

of Chinese units

R-600a units will be available in the United States and Brazil soon

HFO-1234yf2

•

•

Developed for use in motor vehicle air conditioners, but could become 

viable for refrigerators/freezers pending additional research and 

development

Expected to have comparable efficiency to R-134a 

Foam Blowing Agents: Multiple climate-friendly blowing 

agents have been or are being developed for use in domestic refrigerators, 

including HCs, HFCs, methylal, and methyl formate as described below. 

Cyclopentane Blends

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•

•

Cyclopentane, cyclopentane/isopentane, and cyclopentane/isobutane 

blends are globally the most used blowing agents in domestic 

refrigeration

Minimal cost and favorable physical properties 

Significant progress in meeting fire resistance requirements

HFO-1234ze3

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•

•

Low flammability and good thermal insulation properties

Acceptable under U.S. EPA’s Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) 

Program 

Other low-GWP compounds under development

Methylal

•

• 

Typically used in combination with an HC or HFC blowing agent

Currently being evaluated in pilot projects supported by the Multilateral Fund

Methyl Formate

•

•

Excellent insulation properties, thermally efficient, and noncorrosive

Some Latin American countries are currently transitioning 

Chemical GWP ODPa

Refrigerant

R-12 10,900 1

R-134a 1,430 0

R-1234yf 4 0

R-600a (isobutane) 3 0

Blowing Agent

CFC-11 4,750 1

HCFC-142b 2,310 0.065

HCFC-22 1,810 0.055

HFC-134a 1,430 0

HFC-245fa 1,030 0

HFC-365mfc 794 0

HCFC-141b 725 0.11

Cyclopentane <25 0

Methylal <25 0

Methyl Formate <25 0

HFO-1234ze 6 0

a ODP = ozone depletion potential

Refrigerant Transition in the 

Domestic Refrigeration End-Use*

HCs

HCs

R-1234yf

R-12

R-134a

Blowing Agent Transition in the 

Domestic Refrigeration End-Use*

CFC-11 HCFCs HFCs

Cyclopentane

Blends

Methyl Formate

Low-GWP HFOs

Methylal

*Solid arrows represent alternatives already available in the market for these systems; dashed arrows indicate those likely to be available in the future.
Challenges to Market Entry and Potential Solutions

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The following table summarizes the challenges associated with the various alternatives as well as potential solutions to overcoming them.

Alternative Challenges to Market Entry Potential Solutions

Refrigerants

R-600a • 

• 

• 

• 

High Flammability Safety Devices

Standards and Service Procedures

Engineering Design

R-1234yf Slight Flammability

Long-Term Reliability

Market Availability

Engineering Design

Research and Development

Blowing Agents

Methylal Limited Experience as the Sole 

Blowing Agent

Research and Development

Methyl Formate Exposure Concerns

Slight Flammability

Engineering Design

Research and Development

Cyclopentane Blends High Flammability

Insulation Efficiency

Engineering Design

HFO-1234ze Slight Flammability at Elevated 

Temperatures

Market Availability

Engineering Design

Research and Development

Future Outlook

Together, the suite of known alternative chemicals, new technologies, and better process and handling practices can significantly reduce HFC consumption 

in both the near and long term, while simultaneously completing the HCFC phaseout. Although much work remains to fully adopt these chemicals, 

technologies, and practices, and some unknowns still remain, the industries currently using HCFCs and HFCs have proven through the ODS phaseout that 

they can move quickly to protect the environment.
References

Appliance Magazine. 2001. “Matsushita Launches Japan’s First HC Refrigerator.” November 8, 2001.

Babyak, Richard. 2009. “Insulation, Alternative Blowing Agents.” Appliance Design. March 2009. Available online at: 

http://www.ecomatesystems.com/pdfs/news/alternative_blowing_agents.pdf. Accessed September 30, 2010.

California Air Resources Board (CARB). 2008. Letter from Michael Scheible of the California Air Resources Board to Air Pollution Control Officers in 

response to volatile organic compounds exemption petitions received for methyl formate. May 19, 2008. Available online at: 

http://www.arb.ca.gov/research/reactivity/methyl-formate-letter.pdf. Accessed September 30, 2010.

Center for Sustainable Production and Consumption (C-SPAC). 2005. “Ecofridge: Make the Right Choice Now.” Consumer Unity & Trust Society (CUTS). 

Available online at: http://www.cuts-international.org/sc98-1.htm. Accessed September 20, 2010.

Earthcare. 2008. Personal communications between Earthcare Products Ltd and ICF International. May 2008 and October 2008.

Ecomate by Foam Supplies, Inc. 2010. “Refrigeration.” Available online at: http://www.ecomatesystems.com/resources/refrigeration.php. Accessed 

September 24, 2010.

Greenpeace. 2010. “Cool Technologies: Working Without HFCs—2010, Examples of HFC-Free Cooling Technologies in Various Industrial Sectors.” 

Presented at the 30th Open-Ended Working Group of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. June 2010. 

Available online at: http://www.unep.ch/ozone/Meeting_Documents/oewg/30oewg/conf-ngos/COOLING%20%20WITHOUT%20HFCs%20-%20

2010-GREENPEACE.pdf. Accessed September 30, 2010.

International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). 2007. “Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis.” Contribution of Working Group I to the 

Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Solomon, S., D. Qin, M. Manning, Z. Chen, M. Marquis, K.B. Averyt, M. 

Tignor and H.L. Miller (Eds.). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, NY, USA. September 2007. Available online at: 

http://www.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/ar4/wg1/en/contents.html. Accessed September 30, 2010.

International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)/Technology and Economic Assessment Panel (TEAP). 2005. “Safeguarding the Ozone Layer and 

the Global Climate System: Issues Related to Hydrofluorocarbons and Perfluorocarbons.” Metz, B., K. Lambert, S. Solomon, S.O. Andersen, O. 

Davidson, J. Pons, D.d. Jager, T. Kestin, M. Manning, and L. Meyer (Eds.). Cambridge University Press, United Kingdom. Available online at: 

http://www.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/publications_and_data_reports_safeguarding_the_ozone_layer.htm. Accessed September 30, 2010.

Quintero, Miguel. 2010. “Latest Technology Development and Industry Trends in the PU Sector.” Presented at the 

Workshop on Low-GWP HCFC Replacement in the Foam Sector. Seoul, South Korea. May 6, 2010. Available online at: 

http://www.slideshare.net/ozonaction/state-of-the-art-in-the-pu-sub-sectortechnology-options-and-trends-4680731. Accessed September 30, 2010.

Shecco. 2010. “BeyondHFCs position paper on 2010 TEAP report presented at 30th Open-Ended Working Group of Parties to the Montreal Protocol.” 

Presented at the 30th Open-Ended Working Group of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. June 2010. 

Available online at: http://www.unep.ch/ozone/Meeting_Documents/oewg/30oewg/conf-ngos/Beyond%20HFCs%20position%20on%202010%20

TEAP%20report.pdf. Accessed September 30, 2010.

Technology and Economic Assessment Panel (TEAP). 2010. “TEAP 2010 Progress Report, Volume 1: Assessment of HCFCs and Environmentally Sound Alternatives, 

Scoping Study on Alternatives to HCFC Refrigerants under High Ambient Temperature Conditions.” May 2010. Available online at: 

http://www.unep.ch/ozone/Assessment_Panels/TEAP/Reports/TEAP_Reports/teap-2010-progress-report-volume1-May2010.pdf. Accessed September 30, 2010.

Technology and Economic Assessment Panel (TEAP). 2010. “TEAP 2010 Progress Report, Volume 2: Progress Report.” May 2010. Available online at: 

http://ozone.unep.org/Assessment_Panels/TEAP/Reports/TEAP_Reports/teap-2010-progress-report-volume2-May2010.pdf. Accessed September 30, 2010.

Technology and Economic Assessment Panel (TEAP). 2009. “Task Force Decision XX/8 Report, Assessment of Alternatives to HCFCs and HFCs and 

Update of the TEAP 2005 Supplement Report Data.” May 2009. Available online at: 

http://www.unep.ch/ozone/Assessment_Panels/TEAP/Reports/TEAP_Reports/teap-may-2009-decisionXX-8-task-force-report.pdf. Accessed September 

30, 2010.

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). 2006. “2006 Assessment Report of the Rigid and Flexible Foams Technical Options Committee.” 

March 2007. Available online at: http://ozone.unep.org/teap/Reports/FTOC/ftoc_assessment_report06.pdf. Accessed September 30, 2010.

1

 The four fact sheets in this series (October 2010) cover domestic refrigeration, commercial refrigeration, motor vehicle air conditioning, 

and unitary air conditioning. These four end-uses represent about 85% of HFC consumption in the refrigeration/AC sector. The remaining 

HFC consumption in the refrigeration/AC sector comes from other end-uses including chillers, cold storage, industrial process refrigeration, 

and refrigerated transport. Any service-related consumption is attributed to the specific end-use.

2 HFOs (hydrofluoro-olefins) are unsaturated HFCs. HFO-1234yf refrigerant is also commonly referred to as HFC-1234yf or R-1234yf, 

as it is referred to in the remainder of this fact sheet.

3

 HFO-1234ze is also commonly referred to as HFC-1234ze or R-1234ze.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

EPA-430-F-10-042 • www.epa.gov • October 2010

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