Coolant Industry Claims To Be Moving Ahead On Eliminating HFCs, Despite Shitstain's Administrative Tantrums

[hatrack]

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Companies are replacing HFCs with new gases that trap much less heat. If you buy a new fridge or AC unit in the United States today, it’ll probably use one of these new refrigerants — and you’re unlikely to notice the difference, according to Francis Dietz, a spokesperson for the Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute, a trade group representing U.S. HVAC manufacturers. “If we do our jobs, consumers don’t feel anything at all,” Dietz said. But that invisible transition is one of the most important short-term tactics to keep Earth’s climate from going catastrophically off-kilter this century. HFCs are powerful super-pollutants, but the most common ones break down in the atmosphere within about 15 years. That means stopping emissions from HFCs — and other short-lived super-pollutants such as methane — is like pulling an emergency brake on climate change.

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In the United States, new residential air conditioners typically use hydrofluoroolefins, which are similar to HFCs but trap less heat. But European regulators are already phasing these out for some products because they break down into “forever chemicals” that are building up in waterways. Other alternatives include ammonia, propane or isobutane. These gases are toxic or flammable, so manufacturers build in safety mechanisms that can make these systems more expensive. Supermarket chains including Aldi, Trader Joe’s, Kroger and Walmart have pledged to build new stores with carbon-dioxide-based cooling systems. CO2 sidesteps the safety issues, but it works best under very high pressure, so it’s more practical in big, commercial systems than home appliances.

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As part of President Donald Trump’s broader effort to slash environmental regulations, the EPA proposed weakening HFC regulations last year, raising the limits on how much companies can pollute and pushing back the deadline for compliance. American manufacturers aren’t happy about the proposal, Dietz said.“We changed all our equipment lines, we innovated the new equipment, and everything is rolling off the lines now,” Dietz said. “If you were to go back and allow the manufacture of equipment using the old refrigerants, that would just open up routes for foreign manufacturers to make further inroads into the United States market.”

Dietz said U.S. manufacturers aren’t turning back, even if the regulations get delayed. As people and businesses gradually replace their old, worn-out refrigerators, air conditioners and chillers, they’ll buy new equipment that doesn’t rely on HFCs. By around 2040, he said, most homes in the United States and other developed countries will probably have appliances that use the new refrigerants.

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https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-solutions/2026/01/30/refrigerators-air-conditioners-superpollutants/

[NNadir]

1. My favorite option although I don't know if it's being considered would be DME.

It's flammable but so are other options.

CO₂ is a good option too.