As the largest allowance holder of the companies who produce HCFC-22 refrigerant, Arkema is working with its customers to ensure an orderly and reliable process to gradually phase-out HCFC-22 (R-22) under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) phase-out schedule.

The EPA recently announced its Final Rule for HCFC-22 allowances in which it provides additional allowances in 2013 for an industry-wide total of approximately 63 million pounds of HCFC-22 and approximately 51 million pounds of HCFC-22 in 2014.

“Although R-22 is being phased out, it’s still the best option for many R-22 applications because these systems were designed for use with R-22,” noted Glenn Haun, Arkema’s North America Sales Manager for aftermarket refrigerants. “Now that the EPA has provided final allocations for 2013 through 2014, we encourage all R-22 users to review all their options carefully before making any major changes to their R-22 equipment or refrigerant.”

“As the largest HCFC-22 allowance holder, Arkema is committed to working with our customer base to supply Forane® 22, Forane® 410A, and our complete line of blends, including our R-22 retrofit - Forane® 427A,” said Haun. “Forane® 427A is ‘the easy choice’ for an R-22 retrofit for air conditioning systems and refrigeration equipment and has comparable capacity to R-22 as well as better efficiency than most other R-22 Retrofits.”

Forane® 427A has been successfully used in thousands of retrofits worldwide since 2005, with installations totaling in the millions of pounds. Forane® 427A offers the closest match to R-22 in terms of performance as well as mass flow rates and operating pressures in both air-conditioning and low and medium temperature refrigeration. Forane® 427A, a non-ODP refrigerant with one of the lowest GWP retrofits on the market, is the easiest and most cost-effective long-term retrofit solution.

As a Party to the Montreal Protocol, the U.S. is phasing out HCFC-22 in incremental steps via the allowance system controlling U.S. consumption and production of hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs). On April 3, 2013, the EPA issued its Final Rule regarding HCFC allowances for 2012 through 2014 under the Rule for Protection of Stratospheric Ozone: Adjustments to the Allowance System for Controlling HCFC Production, Import, and Export. This supersedes the proposed Rule and the EPA’s “No Action Assurance” letters supplied to producers.

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In this Final Rule, the EPA adjusted the allowance system, providing additional allowances for a total of approximately 63 million pounds of HCFC-22 in 2013 and approximately 51 million pounds of HCFC-22 in 2014. Overall, the HCFC-22 consumption allowances for 2012 to 2014 keep the U.S. 55% below the cap for the Montreal Protocol and are approximately 30% lower than the amounts provided in the 2009 Final Rule, which fall within the range published in EPA’s proposed rule. According to the March 27, 2013 EPA Memorandum, these reductions “account for changes in the marketplace”. EPA will now begin working on a plan to finalize the allowances for 2015 through 2019 that will lead to the final production phase-out of HCFC-22 by December 31, 2019.

Complete details on the EPA ruling can be accessed at:
https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2013/04/03/2013-07758/protection-of-stratospheric-ozone-adjustments-to-the-allowance-system-for-controlling-hcfc

Arkema also offers its customers a user-friendly reclamation program that is a convenient, value-added service. “Arkema's Refrigerant Reclaim program is an important part of our commitment to provide leadership within the HVACR industry during the transition away from HCFC-22,” said Patti Conlan, Arkema’s Market Manager for refrigeration and reclaim in North America.

Now that the Final Rule has been published, customers can more effectively plan for the future.


About Arkema
A global chemical company and France’s leading chemicals producer, Arkema is building the future of the chemical industry every day. Deploying a responsible, innovation-based approach, we produce state-of-the-art specialty chemicals that provide customers with practical solutions to such challenges as climate change, access to drinking water, the future of energy, fossil fuel preservation and the need for lighter materials. With operations in more than 40 countries, some 14,000 employees and 10 research centers, Arkema should generate annual revenue of approximately $8.3 billion, and holds leadership positions in all its markets with a portfolio of internationally recognized brands.


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