EPA Update

Rebecca von dem Hagen

Stratospheric Protection Division

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Scope of Presentation

• SNAP program's actions under the President's Climate Action Plan

• Recent actions

• Future considerations

• Anticipated updates to CAA Section 608 regulations on refrigerant 

management

• HCFC Phaseout

• Other HFC activities: federal procurement & international
Congratulations to this morning’s award 

recipients!
Significant New Alternatives Policy 

(SNAP) Program
• Acceptable - those that reduce overall risk to human health & environment

• Acceptable with use restrictions - if needed to ensure safe use

• Unacceptable

Evaluates alternatives & lists alternatives as:

• Aerosols; Foams; Refrigeration and A/C; Solvents; Fire Suppression; Adhesives, 

Coatings, Inks, etc.

Sectors include:

• Ozone-Depleting Potential

• Global Warming Potential

• Flammability

• Toxicity

Considers: 

• Local Air Quality

• Ecosystem Effects

• Occupational & Consumer 

Health/Safety 5
What are HFCs? Why are they a concern?

• HFCs are synthetic fluorinated greenhouse gases (GHGs)

• Use and emissions of HFCs are growing rapidly, because they are 

replacement for ozone-depleting substances (ODS) being phased out under 

the Montreal Protocol

UNEP, 2011

HFCs are used in:

•Air-Conditioning (A/C)

•Refrigeration

•Foam Blowing

•Fire Suppression

•Aerosols

•Solvents

6
Some Key Principles 

Guiding Our Thinking

• SNAP rules will continue to consider individual end-uses

• No across the board GWP cut offs 

• No prohibition on HFCs as a whole, or in any one sector

• New HFCs or HFC blends may be listed if risk not greater than other available 

substitutes 

• Recognition that timing is a critical dimension and that each end use has 

unique considerations 

• Status change actions will be issued through notice and comment rulemaking

7
Recent SNAP Actions

• Issued two acceptability notices 

adding alternatives

• Issued new rule adding five lowGWP flammable refrigerants with 

use conditions 

• Published Status Change Rule 

prohibiting certain HFCs in certain 

end-uses

• HFC Emissions Reductions: 54-64 

MMTCO2eq in 2025

Near term changes 

can provide both 

near and long term 

benefits

8
Acceptability Notices

9

R-450A (HFC/HFO blend) RefAC

GWP: ~604 compared to HFC-134a: 1430

1233zd(E) heat transfer & flexible PU foams 

GWP <7 compared to alternatives:1070-4000

CO2 refrigerated transport

GWP: 1 compared to alternatives: ~1400-4000 

Methylal foam blowing end-uses

GWP <3 compared to alternatives: 725-1430 

HFO-1336mzz(Z) foam blowing end-uses

GWP: ~9 compared to alternatives: 725-1430

Powdered Aerosol D fire suppression

GWP <25 compared to alternatives: 0-3500

R-450A (HFC/HFO blend) RefAC

GWP: ~604 compared to HFC-134a: 1430 

R-448A (HFC/HFO blend) RefAC

GWP: 1387 compared to R-404A: 3922

R-513A (HFC/HFO blend) RefAC

GWP: 630 compared to HFC-134a: 1430

R-449A (HFC/HFO blend) RefAC

GWP:1397 compared to R-404A: 3922

HFO-1336mzz(Z) foam blowing end-uses

GWP: ~9 compared to HFC-245fa: 1030

MPHE RefAC, solvent cleaning aerosols and 

adhesives/coatings

GWP <3 compared to alternatives: 0-3500

October 2014 July 2015
2015 Low-GWP Refrigerants Rule

• Use conditions required to address flammability

• New equipment only

Refrigerant GWP

End-Use and Application* 

Household 

Refrigerators

Retail

refrigerator 

stand

-alone

Vending

Very Low Temp 

Ref

Heat Transfer

Room AC

-

Self

-contained

Ethane 6 √ √

Isobutane 8 √ √

Propane 3 √ √ √

R-441A (HC blend) <5 √ √ √

HFC-32 675 √

* End-uses are in addition to those previously listed by EPA, including those listed in 2011
July 2015: Change of Status Rule 

• HFC-125 - January 2016

• HFC-227ea & blends - July 20, 2016

• HFC-134a - July 20, 2016/January 1, 2018

Aerosols

• HFC-134a in New Light-Duty Systems - MY 2021

• HCFC & HFC Containing Blends in New Light-Duty Systems - MY 

2017

Motor Vehicle Air 

Conditioning

• New Supermarket Systems - January 2017

• New Remote Condensing Units - January 2018

• New Vending Machines - January 2019

• New Stand-Alone Units (small medium-temp, large mediumtemp, low-temp)- January 2019/January 2020

• Retrofitted Retail Food Refrig Equipment and Vending Machines 

- July 20, 2016

Retail Food Refrigeration 

& Vending Machines

• All End-Uses, Except Rigid PU Spray Foam- Various dates between 

January 2017-January 2021

Foams
July 2015 Change of Status Rule: 

Retail Food and Vending

• Proposed Jan. 1, 2016 change of status for retail food refrigeration and 

vending machines

• Differentiated dates by end-uses in final rule in response to comments

– Supermarket systems: Jan. 1, 2017

– Remote condensing units: Jan. 1, 2018

– Stand-alone units

• Medium-temperature: Jan. 1, 2019

• Low-temperature: Jan. 1, 2020

– Vending machines: Jan. 1, 2019

– Retrofits: one year from publication, July 20, 2016

• Also, expanded list of alternatives in Low-GWP Refrigerants Rule, Notice 

29 & Notice 30
July 2015 Change of Status Rule

13

End Use Change of Status Date

Retail Food Refrigeration

New Supermarket Systems January 1, 2017

New Remote Condensing Units January 1, 2018

• New Stand-Alone Small Medium-Temperature Units

• Large Medium Temperature Units

• Low-Temperature Units

January 1, 2019/January 1, 2020

Retrofitted Covered Retail Food Refrig. Equipment July 20, 2016

Vending Machines

New Vending Machines January 1, 2019

Retrofit Vending Machines July 20, 2016

Commercial Refrigeration Foam

Rigid Polyurethane Commercial Refrigeration and Sandwich 

Panels January 1, 2020
Sept. 11 Stakeholder Meeting

EPA is considering a future proposed rule that could include:

• Listing of acceptable alternatives with use conditions

– Use conditions would mitigate risks, e.g., flammability, exposure limits

• Listing of unacceptable alternatives

– Where risks cannot be mitigated sufficiently, e.g., flammability, toxicity, air quality 

impacts, climate

• Change of listing status from acceptable to unacceptable

– EPA thinking potentially later transition dates than in July 20th final rule

– End-uses based on stakeholder comments and EPA analysis

• Refrigeration and A/C: e.g., chillers, refrigerated food processing and dispensing, 

household refrigerators and freezers, cold storage warehouse 

• Rigid PU spray foam; fire suppression

14
Next Steps

• Continue to expand SNAP acceptable list

– Additional alternatives under evaluation

– Additional end-uses are being evaluated

• Continue to work with stakeholders

– GreenChill webinar October 6

– Food Cold Chain Workshop in Montreal (November)

• Develop next SNAP Notice for acceptable listings 

• Develop next SNAP Rule to include alternatives that are:

– Acceptable with use conditions

– Unacceptable

– Change of status 15
Clean Air Act Section 608 Update

National Recycling and Emission 

Reduction Program
CAA Section 608 Regulations 

• Purpose: Reduce emissions of ODS and substitute refrigerants 

during service, maintenance, repair and disposal of appliances

• Requirements to date:

– Prohibition against knowingly venting refrigerant (all refrigerants 

except those exempt)

– Leak repair and prevention for larger systems (for CFCs, HCFCs)

– Service practice requirements (for CFCs, HCFCs)

– Safe disposal requirements (for CFCs, HCFCs)

17
• Fall 2014 EPA announced plans to update refrigerant management 

regulations considering goals:

– Reduce emissions of high-GWP refrigerants by expanding regulations to fully 

include HFCs 

– Simplify, clarify, and improve existing requirements

• Since then, EPA has engaged with stakeholders on needed changes, heard 

many great ideas

• Draft proposal under interagency review

Next Steps 

• Propose rule in late 2015

• Public comment period

• Final rule in 2016 after considering public comment

CAA Section 608: Update to Refrigerant 

Management Requirements 

18
HCFC Allocation Program
HCFC Phaseout

• HCFC Phaseout creates additional incentive for responsible handling, 

recovery and reclamation

• October 2014: final 2015-2019 allocation is approximately 75% below total 

allowed under Montreal Protocol

• 2016 allocation for R-22 is approximately 20% below 2015 allocation

• Jan. 1, 2020: No production or import of R-22

• Used, recovered and recycled material may still be used for servicing

• Virgin material imported or produced before Jan. 1, 2020 may still be used for 

servicing until 2030

• Protects human health and the environment, while encouraging transition 

to non-ODS alternatives and greater recycling of existing HCFCs

20
Other HFC Activities

• Federal Procurement

• International Efforts
HFCs: Federal Procurement

• Provide federal leadership by purchasing “cleaner alternatives to HFCs 

whenever feasible and transition over time to equipment that uses safer and 

more sustainable alternatives” 

• Proposed rule addressing HFCs by amending Federal Acquisition Regulation 

directing the government to procure alternatives to high-GWP HFCs, where 

feasible

– Use acceptable alternatives identified by SNAP program

– Reporting on use of HFCs (i.e., refrigerants)

– Final rule expected in 2015

• Case Study: Lackland Air Force Base Commissary

– Transitioned from R-404A DX system to an ammonia/CO2 cascade system

22
HFCs: International Activities

• U.S. pursuing HFC Amendment to the Montreal Protocol 

– Four amendment proposals submitted this year

• Canada, Mexico and the United States; European Union; India; and a Group of 

Island States

– Phase DOWN, not OUT

– For consideration at the Meeting of the Parties Nov. 2015

• Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC)

– Projects approved in Jordan and Chile to demonstrate emerging low-GWP 

technologies in supermarket refrigeration systems

23
Contacts

GreenChill

Tom Land

Land.tom@epa.gov

(202) 343-99185

Rebecca von dem Hagen

Vondemhagen.Rebecca@epa.gov

(202) 343-9445

SNAP Coordinator

Chenise Farquharson 

Farquharson.chenise@epa.gov

(202) 564-7768

608 Update & HCFC Phaseout

Luke Hall-Jordan

Hall-jordan.luke@epa.gov

(202) 343-9591
Thank you!

Rebecca von dem Hagen

Stratospheric Protection Division

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency