The US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) latest push to protect the ozone layer will leave the manufacturers of refrigerated transport equipment three years before they have to stop using gases that could be harmful for the environment.
The EPA rule on the ‘Protection of Stratospheric Ozone’ especially bans the use of foam blowing agents HFC 134a and 245fa as of 1 January 2020 instead of 2017.
In North America, the chemicals are widely used by trailer makers to foam up the insulation material used within side wall and roof panels.
The rule is part of a program that is supposed to evaluate and regulate substitutes for chemicals that are being phased out under the Clean Air Act (CAA) and the Obama administration's Climate Action Plan (CAP).
Also relevant for the transport industry is the fact that commercial vehicle refrigerant R-404A will be phased out on a variable schedule.