by Brianna Crandall — February 8, 2016—The Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) trade association and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) recently issued a joint letter to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in support of changing the status of certain hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants used in liquid chillers under the Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) program effective January 1, 2025.
The two groups took this action following lengthy discussions on the importance of moving beyond high-global warming potential HFC refrigerants used in chillers and consideration of factors such as the safety of alternatives, the continued improvement of system efficiency, reasonable product development timelines, and the avoidance of market migration. The effective date was said to be negotiated with those factors in mind.
AHRI President & CEO Stephen Yurek said:
This is another example of industry and efficiency advocates working together toward environmental progress, while allowing sufficient time and predictability for manufacturers. We are grateful to the members of AHRI’s Liquid Chillers Product Section, who worked diligently to reach this agreement.
The EPA is expected to decide in the coming months whether or not to accede to this consensus recommendation.
