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.
October 2024 — Final Rule: Management of Certain HFCs and Their Substitutes Under the AIM Act
This final rule establishes an Emissions Reduction and Reclamation Program for the management of certain HFCs and their substitutes. Requirements include:
- Leak repair for certain appliances;
- Use of automatic leak detection systems for certain new and existing appliances;
- A standard for reclaimed HFC refrigerants;
- Servicing and/or repair of certain refrigerant-containing equipment with reclaimed HFCs;
- Initial installation and servicing and/or repair of fire suppression equipment with recycled HFCs;
- Recovery of HFCs from disposable cylinders prior to disposal; and
- Recordkeeping, reporting and labeling.
EPA is also finalizing alternative recycling criteria for ignitable used refrigerants, including some HFCs and their substitutes, under the authority of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.
The rule was published in the Federal Register (FR) on October 11, 2024. The final rule is linked below and can also be found on regulations.gov in Docket EPA-HQ-OAR-2022-0606.
Additional Information
- Fact Sheet (pdf)
- Regulatory Impact Analysis Addendum (pdf)
- Press Release
- HFC Rulemaking Frequent Questions
Proposed Rule (published October 19, 2023)
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.