We live in times when there's a delicate balance between regulations and repercussions. This is certainly true in the foodservice industry, especially as it pertains to refrigeration and the environment.
The Environmental Protection Agency's Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) was created to identify and evaluate substitutes for ozone-depleting substances.
Section 612 of the Clean Air Act, Rule 20, has mandated the de-listing of certain Hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants used in commercial refrigeration with the hopes of replacing them with more environmentally-friendly alternatives, but many legal battles have put these current changes in question.
Regardless, refrigeration manufacturers and the operations that use refrigeration should be poised for future changes one way or another, with a high likelihood that refrigerants with a high global warming potential will eventually be regulated.
As a result, many manufacturers recommend continuing to work toward Rule 20 compliance and the original Retail Food Refrigeration SNAP regulations. And since end users and building owners are the ones who will be held responsible for compliance, making those decisions now can pay off in the future.
RDT Is Ahead of Refrigeration Regulations
We've made great efforts to make sure our refrigeration systems are in compliance with upcoming EPA SNAP deadlines. Under these rules, certain refrigerants deemed unacceptable like R-404A have already been removed from RDT commercial refrigeration solutions.
We will continue to work toward previously set compliance standards, as we look to be at the forefront of commercial refrigeration that helps our customers save energy, reduce costs, and ultimately make their lives easier regardless of what happens in various appeals processes.
