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The EPA SNAP program has developed a series of pages for each SNAP industrial sector. These links lead to  lists by end use and for the entire sector, as well as related documents (e.g., fact sheets on specific end-uses).

Refrigeration & Air Conditioning

End Uses

• Chillers typically cool water, which is then circulated to provide comfort cooling throughout a building or other location. Chillers can be classified by compressor type, including centrifugal, reciprocating, scroll, screw, and rotary. SNAP has identified substitutes for CFC-11, CFC-12, CFC-113, CFC-114, R-13B1, HCFC-22, R-500 and other ODSs. Chillers used to cool industrial processes are discussed under Industrial process refrigeration systems.
• Industrial process refrigeration systems cool process streams in industrial applications. The choice of substitute for specific applications depends on ambient and required operating temperatures and pressures. SNAP has identified substitutes for CFC-11, CFC-12, HCFC-22 and other ODSs.
• Ice skating rinks frequently use secondary refrigeration loops. They are used by the general public for recreational purposes. SNAP has identified substitutes for CFC-12, HCFC-22, R-502 and other ODSs.
• Industrial process air conditioning is distinct from commercial and residential air conditioning. It is often used when ambient temperatures near 200 degrees Fahrenheit (93 degrees Celsius) and corrosive conditions exist. Units in this end-use provide comfort cooling for operators and protect process equipment. SNAP has identified substitutes for CFC-12, CFC-114 and other ODSs.
• Cold storage warehouses are used to store meat, produce, dairy products and other perishable goods. The majority of cold storage warehouses in the United States use ammonia as the refrigerant in a vapor compression cycle, although some rely on other refrigerants. SNAP has identified substitutes for CFC-12, HCFC-22, R-502, and other ODSs.
• Refrigerated transport moves products from one place to another while maintaining necessary temperatures, and include refrigerated ship holds, truck trailers, railway freight cars, and other shipping containers. SNAP has identified substitutes for CFC-12, R-502 and other ODSs.
• Retail Food Refrigeration includes all cold storage cases designed to chill food for commercial sale. In addition to grocery cases, the end-use includes convenience store reach-in cases and restaurant walk-in refrigerators. Icemakers in these locations are discussed under commercial ice machines. SNAP has identified substitutes for CFC-12, HCFC-22, R-502 and other ODSs.
• Vending machines are self-contained units which dispense goods that must be kept cold or frozen. SNAP has identified substitutes for CFC-12, R-502 and other ODSs.
• Water coolers are self-contained units providing chilled water for drinking. They may or may not feature detachable containers of water. SNAP has identified substitutes for CFC-12, R-502 and other ODSs.
• Commercial ice machines are used in commercial establishments to produce ice for consumer use, e.g., in hotels, restaurants, and convenience stores. SNAP has identified substitutes for CFC-12, R-502 and other ODSs.
• Household refrigerators and freezers are intended primarily for residential use, although they may be used outside the home. Household freezers only offer storage space at freezing temperatures, unlike household refrigerators. Products with both a refrigerator and freezer in a single unit are most common. SNAP has identified substitutes for CFC-12, R-502 and other ODSs.
• Residential dehumidifiers are primarily used to remove water vapor from ambient air for comfort or material preservation purposes. While air conditioning systems often combine cooling and dehumidification, this application serves only the latter purpose. SNAP has identified substitutes for CFC-12, HCFC-22 and other ODSs.
• Motor vehicle air conditioning systems, or MVACS, provide comfort cooling for passengers in cars, buses, planes, trains, and other forms of transportation. MVACS pose risks related to widely varying ambient conditions, accidents, and the location of the evaporator inside the passenger compartment. Given the large number of cars in the nation's fleet, and the variety of designs, new substitutes must be used in accordance with established retrofit procedures. Flammability is a concern in all applications, but the conditions of use and the potential for accidents in this end-use increase the likelihood of a fire. In addition, the number of car owners who perform their own routine maintenance means that more people will be exposed to potential hazards. SNAP has identified substitutes for CFC-12 and HCFC-22.
• Residential and light commercial air conditioning and heat pumps includes central air conditioners (unitary equipment), window air conditioners, and other products. HCFC-22, a class II substance, is the most common refrigerant for this application. SNAP has identified substitutes for HCFC-22 and other ODSs.
• Heat transfer includes all cooling systems that rely on convection to remove heat from an area, rather than relying on mechanical refrigeration. There are, generally speaking, two types of systems: Systems with fluid pumps, referred to as recirculating coolers, and those that rely on natural convection currents, referred to as thermosiphons. SNAP has identified substitutes for CFC-11, CFC-12, CFC-113, CFC-114, CFC-115 and other ODSs.
• Very Low Temperature Refrigeration systems require maintaining temperatures in the vicinity of -80 degrees F (-62 degrees C) or lower. Examples include medical freezers and freeze-dryers, which generally require extremely reliable refrigeration cycles to maintain low temperatures and must meet stringent technical standards that do not normally apply to refrigeration systems. SNAP has identified substitutes for CFC-13, R-13B1 (Halon 1301), R-503 and other ODSs.

Publications

Ten Questions to Ask Before You Purchase An Alternative Refrigerant

Programs that Provide Training on HFC-134a Retrofit

ASHRAE Journal Article about Refrigerant Safety

ARTI Refrigerant Information Database

The Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) Program is EPA's program to evaluate and regulate substitutes for the ozone-depleting chemicals that are being phased out under the stratospheric ozone protection provisions of the Clean Air Act (CAA).

A large number of alternatives exist that reduce overall risk to human health and the environment.

The purpose of the SNAP program is to allow a safe, smooth transition away from ozone-depleting compounds by identifying substitutes that offer lower overall risks to human health and the environment.

The SNAP program has reviewed substitutes for the following industrial sectors:

• Refrigeration & Air Conditioning
• Foam Blowing Agents
• Cleaning Solvents
• Fire Suppression and Explosion Protection
• Aerosols
• Sterilants
• Tobacco Expansion
• Adhesives, Coatings & Inks

The Clean Air Act (CAA) and its amendments are designed to "protect and enhance the nation's air resources so as to promote the public health and welfare and the productive capacity of the population." The CAA consists of six sections, known as Titles, which direct EPA to establish national standards for ambient air quality and for EPA, states, and tribes to implement, maintain, and enforce these standards through a variety of mechanisms. Under the CAA, many facilities are required to obtain operating permits that consolidate their air emission requirements. State, tribal, and local governments oversee, manage, and enforce many of the requirements of the CAA.

Healthcare Air Emissions / Pollutants

Healthcare air emissions come from  air conditioning and refrigeration, boilers, medical waste incinerators (if on site), asbestos, paint booths, ethylene oxide sterilization units, emergency generators, anesthesia, laboratory chemicals, and laboratory fume hoods.

EPA has established national ambient air quality standards (NAAQSs) to limit levels of "criteria pollutants," including carbon monoxide, lead, nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter, ozone, and sulfur dioxide. Geographic areas that meet NAAQSs for a given pollutant are designated as attainment areas; those that do not meet NAAQSs are designated as nonattainment areas.

Each state is requireed to develop a State Implementation Plan (SIP) to identify sources of air pollution and to determine what reductions are required to meet federal air quality standards.

New Source Performance Standards (NSPS)

The following NSPS are particularly relevant to the healthcare industry:

Boilers -Most hospital boilers are subject to the NSPS regulations.

Requirements for monitoring and recordkeeping. http://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/boiler/boilerpg.html.

Medical Waste Incinerators - Under the CAA, EPA regulates air emissions from hospital and or medical/infectious wastes incinerators (HMIWI). For additional information visit: http://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/129/hmiwi/rihmiwi.html.

Hazardous Air Pollutants

EPA establishes and enforces National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAPs), nationally uniform standards oriented toward controlling specific hazardous air pollutants (HAPs)

Asbestos (40 CFR 61 Subpart M) - A hospital that performs demolition and renovation operations will be subject to the CAA NESHAP for asbestos.

Industrial, Commercial and Institutional Boilers and Process Heaters (40 CFR 63 Subpart DDDDD) - This NESHAP may apply at hospitals that are major hazardous air pollutant emitters under the CAA.

Chemical Accident Prevention Provisions 

The CAA sets forth a list of regulated substances and thresholds, a petition process for adding or deleting substances to the list of regulated substances, etc.

Title V Permits

Title V of the CAA requires that all "major sources" (and certain minor sources) obtain an operating permit.

Refrigerant Recycling Rule 

The purpose of Section 608 of the CAA is to maximize the recovery and recycling of refrigerants during the servicing and disposal of stationary air conditioning and refrigeration equipment. Requirements include prohibition of venting, service requirements, equipment certification, leak repair, proper disposal, and recordkeeping.

EPA Resources for Clean Air Act Compliance and References

More information can be found at http://www.epa.gov/region02/cfc/.

EPA's Clean Air Technology Center, at (919) 541-0800 (in Spanish: (919) 541- 1800) or http://www.epa.gov/ttn/catc, provides general assistance and information on CAA standards.

The Stratospheric Ozone Information Hotline, at (800) 296-1996, or the Ozone Depletion web site (www.epa.gov/ozone), provides general information about regulations promulgated under Title VI of the CAA.

RCRA information pertaining to questions about accidental release prevention under CAA Section112(r), is available in the RCRA OnLine database (www.epa.gov/rcraonline),

Asearchable database of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about RCRA, and through an on-line order form for RCRA publications (www.epa.gov/epaoswer/osw/publicat.htm).

Information on air toxics is at the Unified Air Toxics web site at http://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/.

The Clean Air Technology Center's web site includes recent CAA rules, EPA guidance documents, and updates of EPA activities. Visit the Office of Air and Radiation (OAR) homepage for more information: (http://www.epa.gov/air/).

SOURCE:  EPA industry sector information: www.hercenter.org/links