# Refrigeration and Air Conditioning

**Stakeholder Workshop: Household Appliances**  November 15, 2013 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

# Introduction
• Why household appliances, why now?

– EPA is conducting a series of SNAP sector workshops

– Refrigeration and air conditioning is the third sector in series • Household appliances is our first ref/AC workshop 

### • Scope of the Meeting

– Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) Program

– Climate Action Plan

– HCFC Product Labeling

– Responsible Appliance Disposal (RAD) Program

– Vintaging Model 

### • Discussion 2

# Identifying **Safer Alternatives**

**SNAP Program** • Evaluates substitutes that reduce overall risk to human health & environment in industrial sectors

– Aerosols, Foams, Refrigeration and A/C, Solvents, Fire Suppression, Adhesives, coatings & inks, etc. 

### • 400+ substitutes reviewed considering:

– Ozone -depleting potential

– Global warming potential

– Flammability

– Toxicity

– Local air quality

– Ecosystem effects

– Occupational & consumer health/safety 3

# Progress Under SNAP • In Title VI of the CAA, Congress directed EPA to create a clearinghouse of listings with the goal of smoothing transition to safer alternatives since 1994

– Industry innovation has made this process seamless from consumer perspective; regular SNAP list updates promote certainty and stability while encouraging continued innovation 

### • SNAP is an Expanding Menu of Options That:

– Are reviewed for health and environmental protection criteria
– Reduce ODS/GHG emissions
– Promote responsible practices to reduce emissions 

### • Unique Review Program Supporting Global Transition • Sector- Focused Coordination

– Long -standing cooperation with U.S. Stakeholders
– Work supporting national/international standards and codes revisions, removing barriers to adoption of alternatives 4

# SNAP Listings
• SNAP lists alternatives as acceptable, unacceptable, or acceptable with conditions for use • Alternatives include:

– Alternative chemicals/blends

– Alternative technologies (e.g., thermoelectric) 

### • Next generation alternatives

– Many climate -friendly options 

### • Currently SNAP has approximately 25 active submissions

– EPA has been getting many more submissions in recent years, particularly for foams, air- conditioning, and refrigeration 56

## What Does **the President’s Climate Action**  **Plan Say a**  **bout HFCs?**  • Continue International Diplomacy

– Lead negotiations under the Montreal Protocol to phase down HFCs • Global phase down could reduce over 90 gigatons of CO 2 eq by 2050 , equal to roughly two years' wo rth of current global GHG emissions
– Work with partners in the **Climate and Clean Air Coalition**  **to Reduce Short**  **- Lived**  **Climate Pollutants**  to promote climate -friendly alternatives to high - GWP HFCs, address standards, & reduce emissions from HFC use 

### • Address Through Domestic Actions

– Use existing Clean Air Act authority of **Significant New**  **Alternatives Policy (SNAP) Program**  to approve climate -friendly chemicals, prohibit some uses of most harmful 7 – Provide federal leadership by **purchasing cleaner alternatives**  **to HFCs** whenever feasible and by **transitioning to equipment using safer,**  **more sustainable**  **alternatives**

## What the Climate Action **Plan Means**  **for SNAP** • Prioritize review of alternatives that are safer for the climate

– In the context of SNAP’s broader criteria
– Innovative companies have invested in low- GWP alternatives
– Forward - leaning manufacturers of advanced technologies and equipment can provide near-term reductions in emissions 

### • Support, fit within, broader HFC strategy

– Listing additional low- GWP options positions U.S. industries to better meet potential future phasedown steps
– Responds to federal procurement needs to “purchase cleaner alternatives to HFCs whenever feasible” 8

# SNAP & Household **Appliances** • Multiple options available under SNAP

– Include HFCs such as HFC - 134a and non -fluorinated options such as hydrocarbons

– End uses are household refrigerators, freezers, refrigerator/freezers, wine coolers; residential AC; water coolers; residential dehumidifiers 

### • 2011 Hydrocarbon Refrigerants Rule 

## : EPA listed 3 hydrocarbon substitutes as acceptable, subject to use conditions

– Isobutane (R-600a) and R-441A as a refrigerant in new household refrigerators, freezers, or combination refrigerator and freezers;

– Propane (R-290) as a refrigerant in new retail food refrigerators and freezers (stand -alone units only) 

### • Additional submissions under consideration

– Household refrigerators/freezers; self - contained room AC; dehumidifiers; several commercial refrigeration uses 9

# Standards UL Standards with Requirements for Flammable Refrigerants • UL 250: Household Refrigerators and Freezers • UL 399: Drinking Water Coolers • UL 427: Refrigerating Units • UL 471: Commercial Refrigerators and Freezers • UL 484: Room Air Conditioners • UL 541: Refrigerated Vending Machines • UL 563: Ice Makers 

### UL Standards Lacking Requirements for Flammable Refrigerants: • UL 1995: Heating and Cooling Equipment – covers wide variety of non self - contained stationary AC,; e.g. residential splits, building chillers. • UL 60335 -2 -40: Safety of Household and Similar Electrical Appliances, Part 2, Particular Requirements for Electrical Heat Pumps, Air Conditioners and Dehumidifiers • UL 474: Dehumidifiers • UL 621: Ice - cream makers 10

# HCFC Product **Labeling**
• As of January 1, 2015 any product manufactured with or containing an HCFC must be labeled: **WARNING: [Contains / Manufactured w ith]**  **[name of HCFC], a substance w**  **hich harms public health and**  **environment by d**  **estroy ing ozone in the upper**  **atmosphere** • Foams imported after 2014 and products incorporating foams manufactured/imported after 2014

– Any product containing closed cell foam blown with an HCFC must be labeled as a “product containing ” HCFCs 11

## Responsible **Appliance Disposal**  **(RAD)** : EPA partnership with 55 retailers, utilities, & manufacturers to responsibly recycle household appliances

12

# RAD Supports and Recognizes Partners’ Green Goals • Ozone Layer Protection

– Prevent release of 1.5 lbs ODS per fridge 

## • Climate Benefits

– ≥1 MTCO2eq per fridge 

## • Cleaner, Safer Communities

– >150 lbs of Durable Goods

– Safe handling of hazardous materials 

## • Energy Savings 13

# U.S. EPA **Vintaging Model**  • **What?** Tool to track U.S. types of equipment (“ end - uses”) of ODS and substitutes • **Where?** Major Sectors: Aerosols, Foams, Solvents , Fire Protection, Refrigeration/AC • **When?** Tracks chemical from when first produced and placed in equipment or product (“consumption”) through servicing and use until finally recycled/released to atmosphere (“emissions”) • **Who?** EPA tool developed with input from industry

– Other data sources (some CBI) • **Why ?**  Required reporting and other analyses of consumption and emissions of ODS and substitutes 14

# Vintaging **Model –**  **Uses** • Analysis of HCFC phaseout & servicing needs

– Estimated needs and available supplies (MP cap, recoverable) 

### • Projections of consumption and emissions for alternatives (e.g., HFCs)

– What if scenarios 

### • Reporting for international regimes

– Consumption and emissions

– Annual Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions

– Biannual National Communications (Climate Action Report) 15**Aerosols Foam**  **Solvents Ref/AC**  

### ODS Substitutes **Fire Commercial**  **Refrig Domestic**  **Refrig Industrial**  **Process Refrigeration**  **Stationary A** **C Tr** **ansport Refrig**  **Mobile AC**  **Supermarkets Condensing Units**  **Stand -** **Al one**  **Units Ice Makers**  **Display C**  **ases Ve**  **nding Machines Systems/Chillers**  **Cold Storage Road**  **Rail Ships**  **Containers Residential** 

**Small Commercial Large Commercial**  **Reciprocating Dehumidifiers**  **Window Units**  **Central AC** **/HP Ground**  **- Source**  **PT AC** **/PTHP Large Unitary**  **Small Unitary**  **Scrolls Screw**  **Centrifugal CFC**  **- 11**  **CFC -**  **12 Mini**  **- Splits**  **Buses Tr** **ains Light Duty**  **Cars Tr** **ucks/SUVs School/T** 

**our Tr** **ansit Wine Coolers**  **Wa ter Coolers** **Aerosols Foam**  **Solvents Ref/AC**  

### ODS Substitutes **Fire Commercial**  **Refrig Domestic**  **Refrig Industrial**  **Process Refrigeration**  **Stationary A** **C Tr** **ansport Refrig**  **Mobile AC**  **Supermarkets Condensing Units**  **Stand -** **Al one**  **Units Ice Makers**  **Display C**  **ases Ve**  **nding Machines Systems/Chillers**  **Cold Storage Road**  **Rail Ships**  **Containers Residential** 

**Small Commercial Large Commercial**  **Reciprocating Dehumidifiers**  **Window Units**  **Central AC** **/HP Ground**  **- Source**  **PT AC** **/PTHP Large Unitary**  **Small Unitary**  **Scrolls Screw**  **Centrifugal CFC**  **- 11**  **CFC -**  **12 Mini**  **- Splits**  **Buses Tr** **ains Light Duty**  **Cars Tr** **ucks/SUVs School/T** 

**our Tr** **ansit Wine Fridges**  **Wa ter Coolers** 

# Data & Assumptions • Number of Appliances Placed on U.S. Market Each Year • Refrigerant Transition

– R-22 to R-410A in 2009 - 10 

### • Average Charge Size

– 1.26 pounds (R-22)

– 1.07 pounds (R-410A) 18 

### • Average Lifetime

– 12 years (from 1996 National Family Opinion Inc. survey) 

### • Average Leak Rates

– 0.55%/year (or ~1 in 200 experience catastrophic loss)

– 50% at end -of

- life (or 1 in 2 are properly recovered)

# Discussion Questions

# Discussion Questions: **Sector Transitions**  • In many sectors, SNAP is receiving an increased number of submissions. SNAP currently has several household appliance submissions and has acted on others in recent years.

– Do you anticipate sharing new substitutes for household appliances with SNAP soon?
– Do you foresee more transitions from existing alternatives? 

### • What benefits have you seen from transitions?

– Decreased cost? Improved support for corporate sustainability goals? Better for the environment, performance? 

### • Where a transition has been made, particularly to climate -friendly alternatives, what benefits have you experienced from making the change? • What are barriers to adoption of safer alternatives?

– What transition times are needed to adopt alternatives?
– What end uses will require continued servicing and for how long? 20

# Additional **Discussion Questions**  • Under what circumstances/conditions would it make sense for EPA to change the listing status of certain high - GWP HFCs? • What are some ways that SNAP can help “encourage private sector investment in low-emissions technolog [ ies](?)” • How can EPA provide a degree of certainty for future investments while “prohibiting certain uses of the most harmful” alternatives? • What are appropriate lifetimes to assume for various household appliances? • Can your company or trade association share additional data to inform our understanding of the appliance market? 21

# Discussion