This clip from our live Podcast, Episode 26, shows the current R410A phase-down schedule for residential/commercial HVAC equipment, chillers, and VRF Systems.

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Here are the current equipment deadlines as they stand today:
EPA NOPR Equipment limits R410A or equipment with HFCs over 700 as follows.
Chillers - Jan 1, 2024, Residential / Commercial HVAC - Jan 1, 2025, VRF - Jan 1, 2026

We talk about the status of the current EPA refrigerant regulations, including the EPA's NOPR (notice of proposed rule), the critical milestones for R410A equipment manufacturing, and the current R410A phase downtime schedule.

For those of us who have been around awhile, you may be very familiar with R22 and even R12. Past Transitions were driven by Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP).

Important Milestones in the Refrigerant Phase Down:
1987 - The Montreal Protocol: a global agreement to protect the stratospheric ozone layer by phasing out the production and consumption of ozone-depleting substances (ODS).

2015-2016 - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP), requires EPA to evaluate substitutes for ozone-depleting substances to reduce overall risk to human health and the environment. This includes refrigeration and air-conditioning.

2016 - The Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol is an international agreement to gradually reduce hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) consumption and production.

2017 - 2021 - EPA NORP (Notice Of Proposed Rule) to limit equipment manufacturing with HFCs over 700.

2020 - Congress passed an AIM (American Innovation & Manufacturing) Act in late 2020 that gave EPA authority to regulate global warming. In the past, EPA had only had the authority to regulate ozone depletion, so EPA was not doing any low GWP transitions because they didn't have the authority.

EPA NOPR Equipment limits R410A or equipment with HFCs over 700 as follows.
Chillers - Jan 1, 2024, Residential / Commercial HVAC - Jan 1, 2025, VRF - Jan 1, 2026

Key considerations
While safety is always an essential factor, the fact that the two leading candidates are mildly flammable per ASHRAE 34 makes this transition even more critical.
The A2L designation is a relatively new designation for ASHRAE and was created to specifically denote the differences between A2, which has high burning velocities and ignition characteristics. GWP – which, as we discussed, is the primary driver for this transition.

It is interesting to note that R32, besides being a candidate itself, is also included as one of the components in R454B, which is a blend.

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