EPA Extends Sell Through for R-410A Split Systems
by HVAC Distributors December 29, 2023
On December 27, 2020, the American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act was enacted, directing the EPA to implement an 85% phasedown of the production and consumption of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) by 2035.
The EPA released an interim final rule on December 20, 2023 to amend a provision of the Technology Transition rule*, which was published in October 2023. This interim rule allows the sell through of inventoried split system products (non-VRV) with GWPs greater than 700 and produced prior to January 1, 2025, to be installed as new systems until January 1, 2026.
What Does This Mean For You?
- This ruling allows for one additional year for the installation of new residential and light commercial air conditioning and heat pump systems when using components that were manufactured or imported before January 1, 2025.
- Please note that the compliance dates for products the EPA refers to as “factory-completed,” which include PTAC, PTHP, Residential Package, and Light Commercial Package units, do not change with this interim final rule. These products maintain their manufacturing and import prohibition as of January 1, 2025, and installation prohibition as of January 1, 2028.
- The amended rule addresses the sell through concerns for R-410 products and allows for the necessary flexibility to manage field and factory inventories as we transition from R-410A to low GWP refrigerants.
- The amended ruling only considers residential and light commercial air conditioning and heat pump systems. For three-phase VRV products, the EPA will consider these products quickly and separately and we will continue to communicate with you as information becomes available.
Read the full text of the EPA’s interim final ruling.
Additional Resources:
*The Technology Transition rule had specified a January 1, 2025, hard stop date for the installation of new split system heat pump and air conditioning systems.