PFAS regulations are heating up, and the headlines are everywhere. These “forever chemicals” are tied to water contamination and long-term health concerns, and regulators are moving quickly to crack down.
Here’s where it hits your business: hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants are getting pulled into the conversation, even though the science doesn’t support it.
HFCs Are Not Forever Chemicals
Yes, HFCs contain fluorine. So do PFAS. That’s where the similarity ends.
PFAS dissolve in water and build up in the body over time. HFCs don’t behave that way. When released, they rise into the atmosphere and break down. Some, like R-134a and R-1234yf, eventually form trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), which falls back to earth with rainwater.
Unlike PFAS, TFA does not accumulate in the body and is easily flushed out by natural processes. Global research shows no health risk at the levels found in the environment.
Other refrigerants like R-22, R-125, and R-32 break down into compounds that occur naturally, like carbon dioxide and hydrogen fluoride.
Misguided Regulations Create Real Business Risk
HFCs are already being phased down for climate reasons under the AIM Act. That’s a challenge HVAC companies are planning for. But lumping them in with PFAS could bring unnecessary bans, higher costs, and tighter supply chains, all without addressing the real environmental problem.
If regulators don’t understand the difference, your customers and your team will pay the price.
What You Should Do Now
Stay informed. Make sure your team knows the difference between refrigerants and forever chemicals. Monitor emerging PFAS regulations in your region. And be ready to push back on policies that target the wrong compounds.
HFCs are not the enemy here. The real risk is letting science take a backseat to headlines.
