In case you weren’t aware and, most of us already were, HFC refrigerant gases are about to become illegal to use.
This has been on the cards for a long time with most of the domestic refrigeration units in the UK and Europe now using Butane based R600a gas rather than the older gases that contain hydrofluorocarbon although some may still have HFC in the insulation.
On the whole though we reckon this will probably affect the commercial side of things and car makers et all more than domestic appliances.
But from here on in there’s a global deal reached at a summit in Rwanda to reduce the instances where these gases are used with the aim being to wipe out the use of it completely in the near future. Developed nations which includes most of Europe and the USA, will reduce their use of the gas by 10% before 2019, reaching 85% by 2036.
More than 100 developing countries, including China, the world’s worst polluter, will cease their use of the gas by 2024.
Ultimately they are to be banned worldwide.
Drop in replacement gas is to be made available with the first we’ve seen being the Solstice range from Honeywell so, people don’t need to chuck stuff out just yet.
