EPA’s Emissions Reduction and Reclamation Program

In September, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced a final rule to establish the Emissions Reduction and Reclamation (ER&R) Program, which will help to better manage, recycle, and reuse climate-damaging hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).The ER&R program will help minimize releases of HFCs from equipment by addressing leaks across the lifespan of refrigerant-containing equipment, such as air conditioners and refrigeration systems, while also maximizing the reuse of existing HFCs. The final ER&R program includes requirements for repairing leaking equipment, the installation and use of automatic leak detection systems on large refrigeration systems, using reclaimed HFCs to service certain existing equipment, minimizing HFC releases from fire suppression equipment, fire suppression technician training, and removal of HFCs from disposable cylinders before they are discarded. The regulations also establish a standard that limits the amount of new, or virgin, HFCs that can be contained in reclaimed HFC refrigerants.

EPA estimates that in addition to the benefits from prior HFC actions, from 2026 through 2050, this rule will provide additional cumulative greenhouse gas emissions reductions of approximately 120 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, an incremental net benefit of at least $6.9 billion. The rule should help the nation achieve an 85% HFC phasedown by 2036.