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R-22 to be banned by Montreal Protocol

As of January 2010 the refrigerant R-22 (freon) will not be allowed to be used in new equipment. R-22 has been used as the "standard" refrigerant for many years but has been found to be harmful to our planet by our government.

What You Should Know about Refrigerants When Purchasing or Repairing a Residential A/C System or Heat Pump

OZONE PROTECTION HOTLINE TOLL-FREE (800) 296-1996

Background: Ban on Production and Imports of Ozone-Depleting Refrigerants

In 1987 the Montreal Protocol, an international environmental agreement, established requirements
that began the worldwide phase-out of ozone-depleting CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons). These requirements were later modified, leading to the phase out in 1996 of CFC production in all developed nations.
In addition, a 1992 amendment to the Montreal Protocol established a schedule for the phase-out of
HCFCs (hydro-chlorofluorocarbons). HCFCs are substantially less damaging to the ozone layer than CFCs, but still contain ozone-destroying chlorine. The Montreal Protocol as amended is carried out in the U.S. through Title VI of the Clean Air Act, which is implemented by EPA. An HCFC known as R-22 has been the refrigerant of choice for residential heat pump and air-conditioning systems for more than four decades. Unfortunately for the environment, releases of R-22 that result from system leaks contribute to ozone depletion. In addition, the manufacture of R-22 results in a by-product that contributes significantly to global warming. As the manufacture of R-22 is phased out over the coming years as part of the agreement to end production of HCFCs, manufacturers of residential air conditioning systems are beginning to offer equipment that uses ozone-friendly refrigerants.

Phase-out Schedule for HCFCs Including R-22

Under the terms of the Montreal Protocol, the U.S. agreed to meet certain obligations by specific dates that will affect the residential heat pump and air-conditioning industry:

January 1, 2004: In accordance with the terms of the Montreal Protocol, the amount of all HCFCs that can be produced nationwide must be reduced by 35% by 2004. In order to achieve this goal, the U.S. is ceasing production of HCFC-141b, the most ozone-damaging of this class of chemicals, on January 1, 2003.

January 1, 2010: After 2010, chemical manufacturers may still produce R-22 to service existing equipment, but not for use in new equipment. As a result, heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system manufacturers will only be able to use pre-existing supplies of R-22 to produce new air conditioners and heat pumps. These existing supplies would include R-22 recovered from existing equipment and recycled.

January 1, 2020: Use of existing R-22 refrigerant, including refrigerant that has been recovered and
recycled, will be allowed beyond 2020 to service existing systems, but chemical manufacturers will no longer be able to produce R-22 to service existing air conditioners and heat pumps.

For more information about this phase-out, see fact sheets about the HCFC Phase-out Schedule and the
Update on HCFC Allowance Allocation System Regulations.

What Does the R-22 Phase-out Mean for Consumers?

Availability of R-22: The Clean Air Act does not allow any refrigerant to be vented into the atmosphere during installation, service, or retirement of equipment. Therefore, R-22 must be recovered and recycled (for
reuse in the same system), reclaimed (reprocessed to the same purity levels as new R-22), or destroyed. After 2020, the servicing of R-22-based systems will rely on recycled refrigerants.

Cost of R-22: We at McAfee Heating & Air Conditioning have noticed that the production of the R-22 refrigerant has decreased much faster than originally anticipated, and this has already resulted in a significant increase in the price of the R-22 refrigerant. The price for the two refrigerants is now approximately the same, which suggests that very soon, the R-22 refrigerant will be very expensive.

HCFC Phase-out Schedule

Update on HCFC Allowance: This information can be found in its unedited form here (PDF File) .

Is There Such a Thing as "Good Ozone" and"Bad Ozone"?

The phrase "good up high - bad nearby" has been used by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to make the distinction between ozone in the upper and lower atmosphere. Ozone in the upper
atmosphere--referred to as "stratospheric ozone"--helps filter out damaging ultraviolet radiation from the sun. Though ozone in the stratosphere is protective, ozone in the atmosphere - which is the air we breathe can be harmful to the respiratory system. Harmful levels of ozone can be produced by the interaction of sunlight with certain chemicals emitted to the environment (e.g., automobile emissions and chemical emissions of industrial plants). These harmful concentrations of ozone in the atmosphere are often accompanied by high concentrations of other pollutants, including nitrogen dioxide, fine particles, and hydrocarbons. Whether pure or mixed with other chemicals, ozone can be harmful to health.

Are Ozone Generators Effective in Controlling Indoor Air Pollution?

Available scientific evidence shows that at concentrations that do not exceed public health standards, ozone has little potential to remove indoor air contaminants. To view the rest of the article and information that was omitted, please refer to the EPA’s public website

Table 1. Ozone Heath Effects and Standards

Health Effects

Potential risk of experiencing:

Decreases in lung function
Aggravation of asthma
Throat irritation and cough
Chest pain and shortness of breath
Inflammation of lung tissue
Higher susceptibility to respiratory infection

Risk Factors

Factors expected to increase risk and severity of health effects are:

Increase in ozone air concentration
Greater duration of exposure for some health effects
Activities that raise the breathing rate (e.g., exercise)
Certain pre-existing lung diseases (e.g., asthma)

Health Standards*

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires ozone output of indoor medical devices to be no more than 0.05 ppm.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires that workers not be exposed to an average concentration of more than 0.10 ppm for 8 hours.

The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommends an upper limit of 0.10 ppm, not to be exceeded at any time.

EPA’s National Ambient Air Quality Standard for ozone is a maximum 8 hour average outdoor concentration of 0.08 ppm (see - the Clean Air Act

(* ppm = parts per million)

More R-410 Information

McAfee Heating & Air Conditioning
4770 Hempstead Station Drive, Kettering, Ohio 45429
937-438-1976 | FAX: 937-438-1919
State of Ohio Lic. #18064

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