Alternative Refrigerants
- Are there such things as satisfactory top-up refrigerants?
- What alternative refrigerants to ODS are legal for use in Ontario?
- Which alternative refrigerants are suitable for uses in different applications?
- Are there requirements regarding the use of alternative refrigerants such as hydrocarbons?
Are there such things as satisfactory top-up refrigerants?
Currently, the Ministry of the Environment does not offer a recommendation regarding top-up refrigerants. Contact your service provider to see whether or not using a top-up refrigerant might invalidate your equipment warranty.
What alternative refrigerants to ODS are legal for use in Ontario?
The Ministry of the Environment does not currently endorse, approve or disapprove of any alternative refrigerants. It is the responsibility of those seeking alternatives to determine whether a particular product is appropriate for their process or use (see below).
Which alternative refrigerants are suitable for uses in different applications?
No Canadian authority currently provides formal advice about the acceptability of alternatives. However, the United States' Environmental Protection Agency provides technical evaluations of substitutes drop in or top-up refrigerants. Its evaluations are available on the Significant New Alternative Policy Web site. Environment Canada publication Ozone-depleting Substances Alternatives and Suppliers List also provides information on halocarbon alternatives. In Canada, the Federal-Provincial Working Group on Ozone Depleting Substances and Halocarbon Alternatives is conducting on-going discussions on this matter and does not recommend the use of hydrocarbon-based refrigerant alternatives in systems not designed to contain flammable refrigerants in view of environmental, health, warranty and safety concerns associated with its use.
Are there requirements regarding the use of alternative refrigerants such as hydrocarbons?
Ontario’s current regulations apply to refrigerants that contain chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). Therefore, the current regulations do not cover the direct use or discharge of alternative refrigerants such as hydrocarbons (HC). It should be noted, however, that if your current equipment contains a CFC, HCFC or HFC, then the removal, discharge, handling, and disposal of the existing refrigerant is regulated by Ontario’s Ozone-Depleting Substances and Halocarbon Alternatives regulation and must be preformed by a certified technician.
