Regulatory Actions for Managing HFC Use and Reuse
Rules
Subsection (h) of the American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act provides EPA authority to promulgate certain regulations for the purposes of maximizing reclaiming and minimizing releases of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) from equipment and ensuring the safety of technicians and consumers.
Management of Certain HFCs and Substitutes under Subsection (h) of the AIM Act
This proposed rule would establish an Emissions Reduction and Reclamation Program including requirements for leak repair; use of automatic leak detection systems; use of reclaimed HFCs for certain refrigeration, air conditioning, and heat pump and fire suppression equipment; recovery of HFCs from cylinders before disposal; and use of a container-tracking system. It also proposes alternative recycling criteria for ignitable used refrigerants under the authority of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.
Notices
This Notice of Data Availability (NODA) is to alert stakeholders of information from EPA regarding the United States’ HFC reclamation market, and to provide notice of an upcoming stakeholder meeting.
NODA Related to Subsection (h) of the AIM Act
This NODA identifies possible data gaps and requests comment on areas where additional information could improve the Agency’s information on the HFC reclamation market and practices. In the draft report, "Analysis of the U.S. Hydrofluorocarbon Reclamation Market: Stakeholders, Drivers, and Practices," EPA analyzes the current HFC reclamation market in the United States and describes the reclamation process, factors affecting costs of reclamation, incentives, and barriers to refrigerant reclamation.