Chemours suspends supply of R404A and R507A

Chemours has suspended the supply of refrigerants with a high global warming potential (GWP) in the European Union, including R404A (GWP 3,922) and R507A (GWP 3,985).

The move supports the European Union F-Gas Regulation to lower-GWP alternatives and prepare for the next quota phase-down in 2021.

On January 1, 2020, a prohibition came into effect in Europe on the use of stationary refrigeration equipment that contains HFCs with a GWP of 2,500 or more (except equipment intended for applications designed to cool products to temperatures below -50°C).

The regulation also reduces the amount of HFCs placed on the market over a 15-year period. This will further encourage the transition from high-GWP refrigerants such as R404A and R507A to lower-GWP refrigerants. 

Chemours has offered the following alternatives:

• Opteon XP40 (R449A). This has a GWP of 1,397 and is presented as a solution for the retrofit of existing equipment
• Opteon XL40 (R454A) XL20 (R454C). These have GWPs of 239 and 148 respectively and are designed for new equipment.

The company says that these refrigerants meet the long-term needs of the refrigeration, air conditioning, heat pump, and chiller markets.

“They have been developed to help meet increasingly stringent global regulations while maintaining or improving performance compared to the products they replace, as well as encouraging more sustainable refrigerant choices and equipment designs to reduce the carbon footprint of the HVAC&R industry,” Chemours says.

Through the F-gas Regulation, Europe is aiming to cut emissions of fluorinated gases by two-thirds by 2030 compared to the levels in 2014. Australia is also reducing its use of fluorinated gases through the HFC phase-down.