Woodcliff Lake, NJ – September 24, 2024 – Hudson Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: HDSN) a leading provider of innovative and sustainable refrigerant products and services to the Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration industry – and one of the nation’s largest refrigerant reclaimers, commented today on the Final Rule under Section (H) of the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act, which establishes the Emissions Reduction and Reclamation Program.
A link to the press release from the EPA can be found here and the complete pre-publication of the rule can be found here. The final rule will become effective on the date of publication in the Federal Register.
The final rule, under subsection (h), “Management of Regulated Substances” establishes an Emissions Reduction and Reclamation Program to reduce emissions of climate-damaging HFCs from air conditioner and refrigeration systems and maximizes the amount of HFCs that can be reclaimed. The EPA has been authorized by the AIM Act (enacted on December 27, 2020) to address hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) in three main ways: 1) phasing down their production and consumption; 2) promulgating certain regulations for purposes of maximizing reclamation and minimizing releases of HFCs from equipment and ensuring the safety of technicians and consumers; and 3) facilitating the transition to next-generation technologies through sector-based restrictions.
Among its provisions, the final rule requires:
- Leak repair for certain appliances,
- Use of automatic leak detection systems for certain new and existing appliances;
- A standard for reclaimed HFC refrigerants;
- Servicing and/or repair of certain refrigerant-containing equipment with reclaimed HFCs;
- Initial installation and servicing and/or repair of fire suppression equipment with recycled HFCs;
- Recovery of HFCs from disposable cylinders prior to disposal; and
- Recordkeeping, reporting, and labeling.
Brian F. Coleman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Hudson commented, “With this final rule, the EPA has finalized the third important pillar from the AIM Act, the primary focus of which was to reduce leak rates and promote the growth in reclamation. We are pleased that the EPA now provides a standardized definition of what constitutes the designation of reclaimed refrigerants and has provided sector mandates for the use of reclaimed refrigerants. The EPA initiatives outlined in this rule making, combined with the findings from the RMI report we sponsored which provided scientific support for the environmental benefits of using reclaimed refrigerants versus continuing the production and use virgin refrigerant, will set the stage for both mandatory and voluntary uses of reclaimed refrigerants particularly in the servicing sectors. We appreciate the EPA’s dedicated efforts in finalizing the Refrigerant Management and Reclaim rule and look forward to working with our industry partners to promote practices to adopt refrigerant emission controls that are both environmentally and economically beneficial.”
