The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced plans to expand the list of acceptable substitutes for ozone-depleting substances (ODS) under its Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) program. The agency said it has also issued a request for information on the composition and safety of certain refrigerants for motor vehicle air conditioners.
EPA said it has decided that hydrofluoroether (HFE)-7100 is acceptable for use as a secondary heat transfer fluid in new equipment for not-in-kind replacement of systems using various refrigerants in various applications. HFE-71000 does not deplete the Earth's ozone layer and has a global warming potential (GWP) of 390 over a 100-year time horizon.