The Beginning Of The End For R404a

From the beginning of next year, there’ll be a ban on new stationary refrigeration equipment using refrigerants with a GWP greater than 2500. This rules out R404A with its GWP of 3922. In addition, it will also be illegal to service existing equipment with virgin refrigerant with a GWP greater than 2500 in systems where the charge is greater than 40 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent. That’s equal to around 10kgs of R404A. 

Users of equipment still running on R404A could be forgiven for feeling confused with all these thresholds .

If the system contains a charge of gas that’s more than 10kg of R404A the ban on servicing that equipment with virgin product will mean that an alternative low GWP refrigerant is needed. The good news is that this is not the only option as reclaimed R404A can be used up until 2030, regardless of the charge size.

With major changes on the way in the years following 2019 it is clearly not a time to ignore what’s to come, If you do need help don’t be afraid to ask the experts .