• Air

EPA Announces Rule to Reduce HFCs in New A/C and Refrigeration

• air conditioning
• climate change
• greenhouse gasses
• HFCs
• Kigali Amendment
• Montreal Protocol
• refrigeration

On Monday, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed the first rule of the Biden administration to combat climate change. EPA Administrator Michael Regan has announced that the rule implementing the 15-year phase-out of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) passed by Congress last year. 

Why This Matters: Although HFCs have an atmospheric lifetime of about 15 years, which is less than any other GHG, and the most common type is 3,790 times more damaging to the environment than carbon dioxide.

• Climate Change

Louisville Chem Plant Produces More GHGs Than The City’s Cars Combined

• CFC
• GHG emissions
• Kigali Amendment

by Amy Lupica, ODP Staff Writer One chemical plant in Louisville Kentucky is doing more damage to the environment than all the city’s cars combined. The Chemours Louisville Works is the country’s largest emitter of a chemical called hydrofluorocarbon-23 (HFC-23), a greenhouse gas 12,400 times more potent than carbon dioxide. These emissions could be eliminated with low-cost technology upgrades, […]

• Climate Change

Senate Proposes Bipartisan Amendment to Regulate HFCs

• HFCs
• Kigali Amendment
• Montreal Protocol
• Senate

HFCs or hydrofluorocarbons, are super greenhouse gases, manufactured for use in refrigeration, air conditioning, foam blowing, aerosols, fire protection, and solvents. However, unlike most other greenhouse gases, HFCs are not waste products but are intentionally produced. That’s why the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol was a crucial step by the global community to expand […]