On April 19, 2023, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized SNAP Rule 25. This rule lists seven refrigerants and three fire suppressants as acceptable, subject to use conditions, or acceptable, subject to narrowed use limits, in the Refrigeration & Air Conditioning and the Fire Suppression & Explosion Protection sectors. This rule was proposed by the EPA in September of 2022.
The rule also modifies a use condition for the listing for HFC-32 used in the refrigeration and air conditioning sector. EPA previously found the refrigerant HFC-32 acceptable, subject to use conditions, in new self-contained room air conditioners and heat pumps in SNAP Rule 19. This final rule modifies those use conditions to be consistent with use conditions applied to other refrigerants with similar flammability, as finalized in SNAP Rule 23.
The use conditions address safe use of flammable refrigerants and allow manufacturers to use either UL Standard 60335-2-40, 3rd Edition or UL Standard 484, 8th Edition, a legacy standard that UL will sunset on January 1, 2024. Beginning January 2, 2024, manufacturers must meet the requirements in UL Standard 60335-2-40, 3rd Edition. This updated use condition will apply to new equipment manufactured after the effective date of this final rule.
The refrigerants listed as acceptable are:
- HFO-1234yf
- R-454A
- R-454B
- R-
- HFC-32
- R-452B
- R-1150 (ethylene)
Summary of Final Rule
*Consult the Final Rule for the remainder of existing use conditions that also apply to this listing.
**Applies to new equipment manufactured after the effective date of the Final Rule.
