EPA points at HFCs as a threat for public health and the environment

Human activity has lead to greenhouse gases (GHGs) concentrations that pose a threat to public health and welfare of the American people, the EPA stated this week. Scientific consensus shows that as a result of human activities, GHG concentrations in the atmosphere are at record high levels and data shows that the Earth has been warming over the past 100 years, with the steepest increase in warming in recent decades. The EPA will initiate a clean-energy reform to cut emissions from road transport and six key greenhouse gases – carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons and sulfur hexafluoride.

“These long-overdue findings cement 2009’s place in history as the year when the United States Government began addressing the challenge of greenhouse-gas pollution ” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson.

The findings allow EPA to finalize the GHG standards proposed earlier this year for new light-duty vehicles as part of the joint rulemaking with the Department of Transportation. The statement by the EPA also indicates that President Obama is ready to undertake some commitment to tackle carbon emissions in the USA.

By tackling hydrofluorocarbons as a source of climate pollution, sustainable refrigeration systems based on hydrocarbons become an alternative to reduce the carbon footprint of refrigeration, heating and cooling applications.

Public scrutiny to analyse impact of emissions

EPA’s endangerment findings cover emissions that have been subject to public scrutiny.
The agency received more than 380,000 comments in the 60-day public comment period, which were carefully reviewed and considered during the development of the final findings. The EPA findings can be viewed here http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/endangerment.html