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REFRIGERANT CHANGEOVER 2010
THE NEXT MAJOR MILESTONE IN THE HCFC PHASEOUT WILL OCCUR
18 SHORT MONTHS FROM NOW CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING:
- AFTER DECEMBER 31, 2009, IT WILL NO LONGER BE PERMISSIBLE TO MANUFACTURE NEW EQUIPMENT CHARGED
WITH HCFC-22
- AS OF JANUARY 1, 2010, HCFC-22 WILL ONLY BE AVAILABLE - IN LIMITED QUANTITIES - FOR SERVICING EXISTING
EQUIPMENT.
- IN 2020, THE PRODUCTION AND IMPORT OF HCFC-22 WILL STOP COMPLETELY.
WILL THERE BE ENOUGH STOCKPILED VIRGIN AND RECOVERED, RECYCLED AND RECLAIMED HCFC-22 TO SERVICE
AND MAINTAIN ALL THE EQUIPMENT THAT IS ALREADY IN PLACE UNTIL IT IS TIME TO RETIRE IT?
MANY CONSUMERS DO NOT KNOW THAT HCFCS ARE BEING PHASED OUT WORLDWIDE. HERE ARE A FEW POINTS TO
EDUCATE THE CUSTOMER.
- CAN CONTINUE TO USE EXISTING EQUIPMENT THAT USES HCFC-22.
- ARE NOT REQUIRED TO REPLACE EXISTING EQUIPMENT THAT USE HCFC-22
- ARE NOT REQUIRED TO CONVERT EXISTING HCFC-22 EQUIPMENT SO THAT IT CAN USE ALTERNATIVE REFRIGERANTS.
HOWEVER, CONSUMERS SHOULD KNOW THAT AFTER 2010 SUPPLIES OF HCFC-22 WILL BECOME LIMITED, AND AFTER
2020, EVEN MORE SO. WILL THIS AFFECT CUSTOMERS DECISION-MAKING PROCESS IF THEY NEED TO PURCHASE
NEW EQUIPMENT BEFORE 2010? MAYBE, MAYBE NOT. IN ANY CASE, AT LEAST LET THEM KNOW THAT EQUIPMENT
IS AVAILABLE IN THE MARKETPLACE THAT USES ALTERNATIVE REFRIGERANTS. FOR SOME CONTRACTORS, THIS IS
THE ONLY TYPE OF EQUIPMENT THEY WILL INSTALL FROM THIS POINT FORWARD.
SOURCE: AHRI TRENDS SPRING/SUMMER 2008
