HFCs, Potent Greenhouse Gases, Could Be a Thing of the Past | Article

Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), are synthetic gases used as cooling agents in our refrigerators and air conditioners. Ironically, these same gases are very good at trapping heat in our atmosphere. Thankfully, new refrigeration technologies are leaving HFCs in the past. If the world uses these new refrigerants exclusively, the United Nations Environment Programme estimates that humans can prevent the Earth from heating an additional 0.5 degrees Celsius (0.9°F) by 2100.

But the United States has not committed to that scale of change yet.

Commercialized in the 1990s, HFCs come in many different strengths. For example, one kilogram of one type of HFC, Trifluoromethane (HFC-23), can trap the same amount of heat as 12,400 kg of carbon dioxide, and 1 kg of another type of HFC gas, Sulfur Hexafluoride, can trap the same amount of heat as 23,500 kg of carbon dioxide (CO2). In other words, 1 kg of Sulfur Hexafluoride has a global warming potential (GWP) of 23,500. The bottom line is that a tiny bit of HFC gas in the atmosphere can trap a lot of heat, with global warming potentials that are thousands of times higher than commonly discussed greenhouse gases, like methane or CO2. That makes it critical to phase out hydrofluorocarbons. (Here is a list of gases and their GWPs).

In March 2020, the Senate appeared ready to move forward with sweeping bipartisan energy legislation, but provisions on HFCs derailed the effort. However, earlier this month, Sens. Tom Carper (D-Del.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), and John Kennedy (R-La.) announced an agreement on the HFCs amendment, reopening not only the possibility of phasing out 85 percent of HFCs by 2036, but also clearing the way for the broader energy package to move forward. The HFC provisions focus on creating sustainable, U.S.-based jobs to create new refrigerants. The House just passed its version of the energy legislation, the Clean Energy and Jobs Innovation Act, in a 220-185 vote on September 24.

In the United States, most HFC emissions come from supermarket refrigeration system leaks. Green America created the Cool It for Climate campaign to hold big supermarkets accountable for their refrigeration emissions. This includes ensuring that their refrigeration systems do not have gas leaks, and encouraging them to purchase new refrigeration systems that do not use HFCs.

Yes, your home refrigerator contains the same stuff, but it is less likely to leak than the one in the frozen pizza aisle. But, if you are in the market for a new refrigerator, make sure it has the number R600a on the sticker inside the fridge—this means that the fridge does not use HFCs. Lastly, make sure you recycle your refrigerator properly (and to recycle all of your electronics properly), so you can be a part of the solution!

If you would like more information on HFCs and other types of short-lived climate pollutants, check out our fact sheet: Short-Lived Climate Pollutants: Why Are They Important. You can also check out this HFC introductory video from Green America.

Author: Dan O’Brien