The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a final action on March 2 that increases the options for refrigerants used in various kinds of refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment that offer better climate protection without harming the ozone layer. The final action addresses refrigerants under the Climate Action Plan that calls on EPA’s Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) Program to identify and approve additional climate-friendly chemicals. Under the authority of the Clean Air Act, EPA’s SNAP Program evaluates substitute chemicals and technologies that are safe for the ozone layer. The final rule expands the list of SNAP-approved substitutes to include more low-global warming potential (GWP) alternatives that can replace both ozone-depleting substances and high-GWP hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). Among the refrigerants and applications EPA is approving are ethane in very low temperature refrigeration and in non-mechanical heat transfer; isobutane in retail food refrigeration and in vending machines; propane in household refrigerators and freezers, vending machines, and in room air-conditioning units; and HFC-32 (difluoromethane) in room air-conditioning units. (Source: The HVAC&R Industry, March 5, 2015)