The heating and cooling industry provides fulfils critical services to society and citizens, contributing to productivity, well-being, food security, health and decarbonization of the energy supply.
Manufacturers of heat pumps, air conditioners and refrigeration equipment use PFAS substances when those materials are essential to provide safety and efficiency. All heat pumps and air conditioner equipment require a refrigerant to function: the majority of the substances used today are classified as PFAS. The choice for a manufacturer to use a fluorinated gas (F-gas) is determined by efficiency, safety, location and cost reasons.
Components, such as compressors and valves, use bearings, seals and gaskets which are currently made of fluoropolymers. Fluoropolymers have unique properties that guarantee the tightness and efficiency of the product, including by avoiding the leakage of refrigerants during the lifetime of the product. So even for heat pumps that can operate with a refrigerant not classified as PFAS, small parts inside of it contain PFAS substances in components.
Those substances are now being assessed as part of a proposal to restrict them under the REACH Regulation (this process handled mostly by ECHA is illustrated in the timeline graph above).
Alternatives to PFAS
When considering alternatives to F-gases, so called “natural” refrigerants are often mentioned. While they do not fall under the PFAS definition, they present other issues: for instance, the flammability of propane and the toxicity of ammonia present safety risks for workers and consumers. Moreover, even if they are increasingly used in some applications, they are not suitable for applications in all locations and types of buildings and installations.
For components, no other material is available on the market as of today to fulfill all the same criteria simultaneously. Fluoropolymers are used to replace harmful substances such as lead, which is harmful for the environment and human health. Since fluoropolymers are contained in the products, they are not emitted in the environment during the lifetime of the products. Eventually a new material could be found which could work for all industry applications, but it would require at least 10 to 15 years to develop, test, certificate and deploy in the market.
Control of emissions
Fluoropolymers are used as design elements in the component and cannot be released in the environment during operation. F-gases operate beyond atmospheric pressure and can unintentionally be leaked into the environment.
Leakage rates of refrigerants were significantly reduced by the industry within the past years, but they may occur in very low quantities (for instance, during the refilling of equipment). Emissions are well-handled and controlled thanks to the industry’s application of the rules set by the latest 2024 F-gas Regulation, which sets strict obligations for containment, reclaim, reuse and recycling. Since 2015, emissions of F-gases have been decreasing in the EU, in line with regulatory targets and ahead of the international standards. The EEA reports regularly on the data: https://www.eea.europa.eu/en/analysis/indicators/hydrofluorocarbon-phase-down-in-europe
For more information, please find the full submission made to ECHA in 2023 on F-gases and fluoropolymers.
Contact the Secretariat directly here if you have any questions.