EPA Addresses Proposed Changes to Refrigerant Management Programs
Section 608 of the Federal Clean Air Act requires persons who work with or purchase regulated refrigerants to be certified. However, the refrigerants covered by the certification may soon change.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been working diligently for some time to review their refrigerant management programs: Section 608, Section 609, and their Significant New Alternatives Program (SNAP). Last fall the EPA held their first town meeting where many of the industry stakeholders met to discuss how to transform the current regulations to be more reflective of the realities of the current marketplace.
The task of training the current and future HVACR workforce about refrigerants and providing the certification falls upon the educators and trainers in the HVACR industry. To make certain that these instructors have the facts on the plan to revise these refrigerant management programs, how to provide the EPA feedback and the timeline for implementation, ESCO Group arranged attendees of their HVACR Educators and Trainers Conference to hear directly from the source, the EPA.
David Donaldson, Branch Chief for EPA Stratospheric Program Implementation took time from his busy schedule to explain to the attendees the EPA Action Plan to revise their refrigerant management programs.
Mr. Donaldson began by discussing the need to transition from Hydroflourocarbons "HFCs". He stated that HFCs a greenhouse gas if left unchecked will rise to nearly 20% of carbon dioxide emissions by the year 2050.
To address this issue, the EPA plans to take action on HFCs by:
- Using the SNAP program to approve climate friendly chemicals and prohibit some uses of most harmful chemical alternatives.
- Having Federal agencies work to purchase cleaner alternatives to HFCs where feasible.
- Lead negotiations to phase down HFCs under the Montreal Protocol.
- Promote climate friendly alternatives to high Global Warming Potential "GWP" HFCs to reduce HFC emissions.
As a result of the Action Plan, the EPA issued a new acceptability notice adding more alternatives (79 FR 62893) on October 21, 2014, issued new rules adding five flammable refrigerants with use conditions that adopt safety standards in February of 2015, and proposed a status change rule to limit the use of HFCs (79 FR 46126) on August 6, 2014.
Donaldson further explained what most in the audience wanted to hear, that the EPA plans on reducing emissions of high GWP refrigerants by expanding the Section 608 program to cover HFCs. This would require technicians to be certified to purchase HFC refrigerants as well as service, install or dispose of most appliance containing HFCs.
Mr. Donaldson stated he anticipates a proposed rule to be published later this year allowing time for public feedback through 2016 and an updated test bank following the final rule.
Upon conclusion of his presentation, Mr. Donaldson took the time to answer questions from conference attendees who wanted to share their concerns with the EPA Certification program, re-claiming issues and how working together we can move the industry forward.
Mr. Donaldson's PowerPoint presentation is available to view online.
As ESCO Group participates in further meetings with the EPA and other stakeholders, further information will be shared and made available at www.escogroup.org.