In December 2024, DEC completed one of the actions it was assigned under the NYS Scoping Plan when it published its new regulations for refrigerants. It’s disappointing there is so little coverage of this positive work, so the essay below undertakes explaining what all is involved and why it’s so valuable.  

The fundamental change needed to mitigate climate change is for actors to take more responsibility for their greenhouse gas emissions. From the largest companies to individual consumers, we all need to be more attentive to our climate impacts and swap harmful actions for sustainable alternatives. One of the most cost-effective actions we can take to protect the climate is to change the refrigerants we use and improve the way we manage them. 

Senator Brian Kavanagh and Assemblymember Amy Paulin have introduced bills (S6105B/A10624) that will create extended producer responsibility (EPR) programs for refrigerants and for appliances, including refrigerant-containing appliances. New Yorkers for Cool Refrigerant Management supports both the refrigerant and the appliance portions of this EPR legislation. That said, because refrigerants are such intense greenhouse gases, the need to capture these emissions is urgent, not just because of their global warming potential, but also because the federal AIM Act phasedown of high GWP refrigerants is creating a pinch on the supply of virgin sources for these gases. This leaves reclaimed versions essential to service existing appliances that rely on them.