Refrigerants at a crossroads By Eamonn Ryan From Kigali-driven phase-downs and the looming end of R22 to the rise of natural refrigerants and hard lessons in ammonia safety, the HVAC & R industry is being reshaped by regulation, innovation and risk.
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INCORPORATING COLD CHAIN
Refrigerants at a crossroads By Eamonn Ryan From Kigali-driven phase-downs and the looming end of R22 to the rise of natural refrigerants and hard lessons in ammonia safety, the HVAC & R industry is being reshaped by regulation, innovation and risk.
DFFE ' s roadmap for phasing out global warming substances in HVAC & R
At FRIGAIR 2025, DFFE ' s Margaret Molefi detailed South Africa ' s roadmap for phasing out global warming substances in the HVAC & R industry.
Molefi, director for Hazardous Chemicals Management at the National Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment( DFFE) and representing the National Ozone Unit, delivered a crucial address at FRIGAIR 2025, illuminating the process of phasing out and phasing down global warming substances and their profound implications for the South African HVAC & R industry.
Molefi began by outlining the foundational international agreements guiding this transition: the Vienna Convention on the Protection of the Ozone Layer, which serves as a framework, and the Montreal Protocol, specifically designed to phase out the production and consumption of ozone-depleting substances such as Hydrochlorofluorocarbons( HCFCs). A significant milestone in this journey is the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, ratified by South Africa in August 2022. This amendment, which primarily targets
Hydrofluorocarbons( HFCs), mandates a significant phase-down, including a phaseout of R22 in a stepped manner.
At the national level, South Africa is leveraging its legislative framework to align with these international commitments. The Air Quality Act( promulgated in 2014 and amended in 2021) is currently used to control ozone-depleting substances. For the impending HFC regulations, the recently promulgated Climate Change Act( 2024) will be the guiding legislation.
THE EMERGING CHALLENGE OF FOREVER CHEMICALS: PFAS AND TFAS
Molefi introduced a new and emerging concern: the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants( POPs), which addresses chemicals that persist in the environment and pose long-term ecological and health risks. While Hydrofluoroolefins( HFOs) were introduced as low-GWP alternatives to HFCs, certain HFOs can degrade in the atmosphere to form trifluoroacetic acid( TFA), an ultra-persistent compound increasingly grouped within broader discussions around PFAS( forever chemicals). This has become a growing area of concern for the HVAC & R sector as regulatory scrutiny expands beyond ozone depletion and global warming potential to long-term environmental persistence.
She pointed out that TFAs are found not only in refrigerants but also in critical HVAC components like wires, cables and insulators. Consequently, the Stockholm Convention will increasingly necessitate a transition away from refrigerants containing PFAS and may lead to their restriction. Currently, South Africa is processing an amendment to the NEMA( National
Environmental Management Act) POPs regulation, which will prohibit the production, sale, distribution, import and eventual phasing out of these substances.
The life cycle management of refrigerants is also under scrutiny. The Basel Convention now classifies waste gases as hazardous, necessitating a circular economy approach to refrigerant life cycle management( reclamation, recycling, disposal).
SA ' S GREEN HORIZON
Molefi issued a strong warning regarding R22( an HCFC), which is in its final phaseout stages. She explained that South Africa is transitioning from a 67.5 % phase-out to a dramatic 97.5 % phase-out by end-2025. This drastic reduction means R22 will become extremely expensive and not cost-effective.
While reclaimed R22 will be the only available option, pilot studies have shown that extremely little can be retained through reclamation. Molefi urged anyone still using R22 to transition to alternative systems that allow for‘ drop-in’ solutions. Her stark prediction: " within the coming two years, you may not have any R22 to work with ".
The focus then shifted to the HFC phasedown under the Kigali Amendment. South Africa ratified this amendment in August 2022, placing the nation at a‘ freezing stage’ where the baseline for HFC consumption needs to be established. The first reduction is slated for 2026.
" HFCs are used extensively across air conditioning, refrigeration and other applications like foam blowing agents and fire suppressants."
Molefi outlined the proposed regulatory pillars to manage this transition. Phasing down consumption and quota system:
Margaret Molefi, director for Hazardous Chemicals Management at the National Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment( DFFE) and representing the National Ozone Unit.
• Baseline establishment: The DFFE aims to establish a baseline for HFC production and consumption
• Import quota methodology: Based on the consumption baseline, a methodology for an HFC import quota system will be determined, along with mechanisms to control illegal imports and establish reporting requirements
• Quotas, allocated annually and progressively decreasing, will be strictly managed, with non-compliance leading to forfeiture
• Facilitating sector-based transition: Analysing current HFC use( with R134a, R404A and R507 being the highest consumed)
• Transition to low-GWP & PFAS-free alternatives: The core strategy is a widespread transition to refrigerants with low GWP and those free from PFAS
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COLD LINK AFRICA www. coldlinkafrica. co. za March / April 2026