Regulatory Actions for Managing HFC Use and Reuse

Rules

Subsection (h) of the American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act provides EPA authority to promulgate certain regulations for the purposes of maximizing reclaiming and minimizing releases of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) from equipment and ensuring the safety of technicians and consumers.

May 2026 — Proposed Rule: Phasedown of Hydrofluorocarbons: Excluding Road and Intermodal Container Transport Refrigeration Units from the Hydrofluorocarbon Leak Repair Requirements

This action proposes an exemption for road and intermodal container transport refrigeration units (TRUs) from the leak repair requirements established under subsection (h) of the AIM Act. In the 2024 Hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) Management final rule (Emissions Reduction and Reclamation (ER&R) Rule), EPA established, among other provisions, leak repair requirements for appliances with a refrigerant charge size of 15 pounds or more that contain an HFC or certain HFC substitutes (see 40 CFR 84.106). EPA did not intend to subject road and intermodal container TRUs to the leak repair requirements. To address industry concerns, EPA is issuing this proposal to clarify the applicability of the rule and exempt road and intermodal container TRUs from the leak repair requirements. Under this proposal, all road and intermodal container TRUs, regardless of their refrigerant charge size, would be exempt from the leak repair requirements.

The proposed rule is linked below and can also be found on Regulations.gov in Docket EPA-HQ-OAR-2026-2905.

Proposed Rule: Phasedown of Hydrofluorocarbons: Excluding Road and Intermodal Container Transport Refrigeration Units from the Hydrofluorocarbon Leak Repair Requirements (pdf) (311.88 KB, 5/21/26)
Transport Refrigeration Unit Proposed Rule Fact Sheet (pdf) (189.81 KB, 5/21/26)
May Refrigerant Announcement Factsheet (pdf) (156.02 KB, 5/21/26)

October 2024 — Final Rule: Management of Certain HFCs and Their Substitutes Under the AIM Act

This final rule establishes an Emissions Reduction and Reclamation Program for the management of certain HFCs and their substitutes. Requirements include:

Leak repair for certain appliances;
Use of automatic leak detection systems for certain new and existing appliances;
A standard for reclaimed HFC refrigerants;
Servicing and/or repair of certain refrigerant-containing equipment with reclaimed HFCs;
Initial installation and servicing and/or repair of fire suppression equipment with recycled HFCs;
Recovery of HFCs from disposable cylinders prior to disposal; and
Recordkeeping, reporting and labeling.

EPA is also finalizing alternative recycling criteria for ignitable used refrigerants, including some HFCs and their substitutes, under the authority of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.

The rule was published in the Federal Register (FR) on October 11, 2024. The final rule is linked below and can also be found on regulations.gov in Docket EPA-HQ-OAR-2022-0606.

Federal Register Link to Final Emissions Reduction and Reclamation Rule

Additional Information

Fact Sheet (pdf) (495.9 KB)
Regulatory Impact Analysis Addendum (pdf) (3.11 MB)
Press Release
HFC Rulemaking Frequent Questions

Proposed Rule (published October 19, 2023)

Notices

This Notice of Data Availability (NODA) is to alert stakeholders of information from EPA regarding the United States’ HFC reclamation market, and to provide notice of an upcoming stakeholder meeting.

NODA Related to Subsection (h) of the AIM Act

This NODA identifies possible data gaps and requests comment on areas where additional information could improve the Agency’s information on the HFC reclamation market and practices. In the draft report, "Analysis of the U.S. Hydrofluorocarbon Reclamation Market: Stakeholders, Drivers, and Practices," EPA analyzes the current HFC reclamation market in the United States and describes the reclamation process, factors affecting costs of reclamation, incentives, and barriers to refrigerant reclamation.