The EPA is adjusting the phase-down timetable for hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) in commercial refrigeration. The new rule allows supermarkets and cold storage facilities to use certain high-potency greenhouse gases until 2032 to reduce immediate equipment replacement costs for small businesses. This policy shift relaxes previous limits on the global warming potential of allowed refrigerants. While intended to provide economic flexibility for grocery stores and manufacturers, it extends the use of gases that are significantly more potent than carbon dioxide.
