SEEING IS BELIEVING: STATUS OF HFCs IN THE UNITED STATES

This briefing by the World Resources Institute examines the status of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) in the United States, highlighting their growth as greenhouse gas emissions and the availability of low-global warming potential (GWP) alternatives. It argues that market forces alone are insufficient to drive the transition and recommends specific regulatory actions by the EPA and the U.S. government to phase down high-GWP HFCs.

• Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) are a small but rapidly increasing source of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States, with emissions projected to increase by 120% from current levels by 2030.
• Low-GWP alternatives to HFCs, including hydrocarbons, CO2, and hydrofluoroolefins (HFOs), typically have a global warming potential 50 to 99.9 percent lower than the HFCs they replace. Some companies, such as Coke, Pepsi, Heineken, Red Bull, and Ben & Jerry’s, have already implemented efficiency improvements using these alternatives.
• Despite the availability of alternatives, the U.S. market is unlikely to transition rapidly without new rules or incentives due to high upfront costs, the need for equipment replacement or facility redesign, and a lack of customer demand for low-GWP options.
• The document recommends that the EPA use its authority under the Clean Air Act and the Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) program to phase out high-GWP HFCs, accelerate the testing and approval of new alternatives, and increase the capture, reclamation, and recycling of HFCs from existing equipment.
• The U.S. is encouraged to pursue an international phase-down of high-GWP HFC use through the Montreal Protocol.

APA

World Resources Institute (n.d.). SEEING IS BELIEVING: STATUS OF HFCs IN THE UNITED STATES. https://wriorg.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/Seeing_is_Believing_HFCs.pdf

Chicago

World Resources Institute. SEEING IS BELIEVING: STATUS OF HFCs IN THE UNITED STATES. n.d. https://wriorg.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/Seeing_is_Believing_HFCs.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=SEEING IS BELIEVING: STATUS OF HFCs IN THE UNITED STATES |url=https://wriorg.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/Seeing_is_Believing_HFCs.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitutendseeing, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{SEEING IS BELIEVING: STATUS OF HFCs IN THE UNITED STATES}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, url = {https://wriorg.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/Seeing_is_Believing_HFCs.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }