Refrigerant timeline

1st generation refrigerants Chlorofluorcarbons (CFCs)

• Importation of CFCs into Australia is now banned
• Most countries stopped producing CFCs by the mid 1990s and it was phased out by 1995
• In developing countries a total phase-out was agreed by 2010 in the Montreal Protocol

2^nd generation refrigerants Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs)

• Total phase-out in developed countries by 2029
• Total phase-out in developing countries by 2040

3^rd generation refrigerants Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)

• Phase-down passed by Australian government in 2017
• 85% reduction in developed countries by 2036
• 80% reduction in developing countries by 2045
• Phase-down in Australia began 1 January 2018

4^th and current generation refrigerants Hydrofluoro-olefins (HFO)

HFOs have low global warming potentials, typically under 150.  Many of them, however are also classified as A2L refrigerants (mildly flammable) and industry needs to adapt its practices to maintain a high level of safety.

Refrigerants Australia was a participant in an Australia-wide series of education programs that began in 2016 to prepare the market for safe and efficient use of these refrigerants