EPA Releases Proposed HCFC Phaseout Rules Jan 6, 2009

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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently signed two proposed rules to implement the continued HCFC phaseout in the United States. The first proposed rule would implement the Montreal Protocol caps for production and consumption of HCFCs during the years 2010-2014. The second proposed rule would ban the sale or distribution or offer for sale or distribution in interstate commerce of all air conditioning and refrigeration equipment containing HCFC-22, HCFC-142b, or blends containing one or both of these controlled substances, beginning Jan. 1, 2010. The proposed rule covers equipment manufactured in the U.S. for domestic use as well as equipment imported or intended for export. In addition, EPA is extending these requirements to air-conditioning and refrigeration products that are suitable for the use with newly produced HCFC-22, HCFC-142b, or blends containing these two refrigerants as well as to pre-charged components such as line-sets and pre-charged compressors.

The proposals were published in the Federal Register on Dec. 23. The comment period (60 days for the allocation rule, 30 days for the pre-charged equipment rule) will begin once the rules are published. For more information, go to http://epa.gov/ozone/strathome.html.

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