On March 2, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced civil penalties applied to imports of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) as part of the HFC phasedown being implemented under the American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act. Importers of HFCs are required to report the quantities of HFCs they import under the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program (GHGRP) and comply with the allowance system for HFC imports as part of the HFC phasedown.
As part of the AIM Act, the United States is working to reduce HFC production and consumption by 85% by 2036, in line with the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol. Under the GHGRP, around 1,000 suppliers and 7,600 facilities that emit greenhouse gases (GHG) are required to report their GHG data, which includes HFC importers. This data covers 85 to 90% of GHG emissions in the United States and is publicly released. Reporting is an important tool to track emissions and ensure the United States is meeting its commitments under the HFC phasedown.
In fiscal 2022, a U.S. government task force stopped illegal HFC imports equivalent to more than 889,000 metric tons of CO2. The civil penalties included settlements with three HFC importers that failed to report their imported quantities. The EPA also issued notices of violation to importers alleged to have imported HFCs without having obtained the required allowances.
Post time: May-18-2023
