The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) committee responsible for IEC Standard 60335-2-89 narrowly voted down a draft international standard to raise the allowable charge of flammable refrigerants in certain appliances. The vote came after a five-year effort to raise the charge limit of flammable refrigerants such as propane and isobutane in some commercial refrigeration appliances from 150g to about 500g. The change related to refrigerated display and storage cabinets, refrigerated trolley cabinets, service counters and self-service counters, blast chillers and blast freezers, and commercial ice-makers. The result was close. Although the draft did receive enough yes votes to pass, more than 25 per cent of countries voted no, meaning it was rejected.
Australia and New Zealand, both participating members of the SC61C committee working on the standard, voted yes. Japan, the US, Malaysia and the Netherlands were among the countries that voted no. Those who rejected the draft are now required to explain the reasons for their vote. The result was a blow to proponents of hydrocarbon
refrigerants – and potentially to companies that were positioning themselves for the revised charge limit. The new standard mooted a single circuit to be employed in larger cabinets, rather than multiple smaller circuits.