“To progress with decarbonisation efforts within our industry, it is imperative to meticulously manage the entire PFAS dossier,” said Marco Masini, president of ASERCOM. “Transitioning to ‘natural refrigerants’ necessitates even more the use of fluoropolymers which are encompassed in this ban; hence, we are advocating for the introduction of exemptions for such materials.”

Dr. Heinz Juergensen, the PFAS team leader at ASERCOM, said: “The potential replacement of PFAS elements could, in numerous instances, necessitate substantial redesigns of entire individual parts and complete components. This re-design would result in further testing needs of the compressors and other main components as well as of the final equipment. Employing alternative substances for different refrigerants would escalate the variety of components managed in production, wholesale, and installation sites. This could elevate the risks of failures and damages arising from improper selections.”

Members of ASERCOM are exploring alternative substances with their supply partners, though viable solutions achieving equivalent performances have not yet been identified. The organisation’s manufacturers are currently dealing with wear and tear concerns and the more extreme applications such as elevated refrigerant discharge temperatures for heat pumps with R290, or low temperature refrigeration applications with CO2 at very high pressures.

“We've requested exemptions in the PFAS ban proposal to maintain energy efficiency and leverage the unique properties of fluoropolymers, for instance, adhering to GWP limits due to F-Gas regulations,” said Juergensen.

ASERCOM continues to work to find balanced solutions, addressing environmental concerns while also ensuring the sustainability and efficacy of the HVAC&R industry components.