U.S. COMMITS TO HFC PHASEOUT

The Household and Commercial Products Association (HCPA) has announced its intention to work with U.S. companies in their commitment to phase out hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).

For its part, the United States Environmental Protection Agency has issued a final ruling that will limit and gradually reduce the production and consumption of hydrofluorocarbons. Despite being considered potent greenhouse gases, HFCs are still used in refrigeration, air conditioning and foam equipment. Also in some aerosol products where they function as a propellant, as well as in other applications.

This new measure is expected to phase down the production and consumption of HFCs in the United States by 85% over the next 15 years. To that end, the federal administration of President Joe Biden created a task force on the illegal trade in HFCs. The purpose is none other than to help companies make a successful elimination in their operations.

The Household and Commercial Products Association has expressed support for its phase-out. This association brings together manufacturers and sellers of hygiene and cleaning products and was actively involved in the process of drafting the law. However, it has also raised concerns about how this rule will apply to imported products and materials containing hydrofluorocarbons.

Steve Bennett, HCPA’s executive vice president of science and regulatory affairs, notes, “The AIM Act directs EPA to phase down the production and importation of HFCs in favor of environmentally safer alternatives.

He adds that “many household and commercial products use aerosol delivery, some of which use HFCs as a propellant. The HCPA was actively involved in the rulemaking process to ensure that the interests of member companies were represented in the final rule”.

This EPA provision is intended to address the climate crisis the planet is in. The AIM Act is one of the most important environmental measures in the United States. Its objectives include not only the elimination of HFCs but also helping companies to develop more environmentally friendly alternatives.

This phase-out is expected to be final in 2036. Projections indicate that from 2022 to 2050 the total reductions in pollutant emissions from these gases will be equivalent to about 4.6 billion metric tons of CO2.