The Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) released a position statement on legislation and regulation pertaining to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). 

Central to the industry’s position is the critical distinction between all PFAS and a small subset of PFAS known as PBTs, which are “persistent in the environment, bioaccumulative in organisms, and toxic at relatively low levels.” 

HFCs and HFOs are not PBTs, yet they are at risk of being prohibited by legislation or regulations that accept an overly broad definition of PFAS in a misguided effort to reduce PBTs. 

globalFACT endorses the industry’s position: Given that low-GWP HFCs and HFOs are not PBTs, and given that they are critical to society’s HVACR equipment and operations, they should not be inadvertently included in broad definitions of PFAS for purposes of regulation. 

For more information, AHRI’s policy position document is available here.