# 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 p rocurement & 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 low GWP 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 CO 2 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*HouseholdRefrigeratorsRetailrefrigeratorstand-aloneVendingVery Low TempRefHeat TransferRoom 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 medium temp, 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 • D ifferentiated 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 20 th 

### 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/CO 2 

### 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)

– P rojects 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