Protection of Stratospheric Ozone: Listing of Ozone Depleting Substitutes in Foam Blowing

Résumé

Today the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to determine that HCFC-22 and HCFC-142b are unacceptable for use in the foam sector under the Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) Program under section 612 of the Clean Air Act. The SNAP program reviews alternatives to Class I and Class II ozone depleting substances and approves use of alternatives which do not present a greater risk to public health and the environment than the substance they replace or than other available substitutes. Specifically, EPA is taking two actions. First, in response to a court decision upholding a challenge to EPA's July 2002 final rule finding HCFC-22 and HCFC-142b acceptable subject to Narrowed Use Limits in three foam end uses, we are proposing to find HCFC-22 and HCFC-142b unacceptable as substitutes for HCFC-141b in the foam end uses of commercial refrigeration, sandwich panels, slabstock and "other" foams. Second, in the July 2002 final rule, EPA withdrew a proposed action to find HCFC-22 and HCFC-142b unacceptable as substitutes for CFCs in all foam end uses. We are now issuing a new proposal to find HCFC-22 and HCFC-142b unacceptable as substitutes for CFCs in all foam end use