The Environmental Protection Agency under Administrator Michael Regan on Tuesday announced that a new rule had been finalized to restrict the consumption of hydrofluorocarbons. File Photo by Sarah Silbiger/UPI | License Photo
July 12 (UPI) -- The Biden administration has announced plans to continue its reduction of hydrofluorocarbons, releasing a new rule that aims to cut the United States' use of the greenhouse gases by almost half starting next year. Hydrofluorocarbon is a category of greenhouse gases used for refrigeration and air-conditioning as well as in a number of other applications, but is linked to global warming. Advertisement
The final rule announced Tuesday by the Environmental Protection Agency will reduce HFC consumption in the United States based on historic levels by 40% between 2024 and 2028.
The reduction will be on top of the 10% drop in HFC consumption that was implemented in 2022 under the bipartisan 2020 American Innovation and Manufacturing Act that sets the goal to reduce the production and consumption of HFCs by 85% by 2036 in an effort to prevent a 0.5 degree Celsius increase in global temperature by the next century.
To achieve this goal, the EPA has been charged under the AIM Act with phasing down the production and consumption of HFCs, managing HFCs and their substitutes and facilitating a transition to next-generation technologies.
Since the phasedown began on Jan. 1, 2022, allowances have been required to import and produce HFCs. Under the new rule announced Tuesday, the number of allowances made available for the production and consumption of the greenhouse gases will experience "a significant decrease," the EPA said.
"By phasing down the use of these super pollutants, we can both address climate change and support domestic manufacturing -- a win-win," Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del., said in a statement.
The EPA added that it plans to implement two more actions under the AIM Act this year, one placing restrictions on HFCs in specific sectors and another establishing requirements for the management of HFCs and their substitutes in devices such as air conditioners.
stickler64 on July 13rd, 2023 at 01:52 UTC »
Wanna cut greenhouse gasses. Stop sending people back to the office.
Xszit on July 12nd, 2023 at 17:58 UTC »
This is about reducing the use hydrofluorocarbons for industrial refrigeration and air conditioning, I'm confused i thought those were already banned in the 90s when we discovered the holes in the ozone layer.
Did they only get banned in hairspray for consumers while businesses continued to use them this whole time? Its good if they are finally cutting industrial use but I seriously thought we were past this hurdle, we've known for decades that those things were bad for the environment and we just... kept using them?
70parwater on July 12nd, 2023 at 17:55 UTC »
Until a new administration that reverses it. The swings in politics in the US make any long time policy unrealistic.