Substitutes in Propellants
You may need a PDF reader to view some of the files on this page. See EPA’s About PDF page to learn more.Substitutes are reviewed on the basis of environmental and health risks, including factors such as ozone depletion potential, global warming potential, toxicity, flammability, and exposure potential. Lists of acceptableacceptableThis designation means that a substitute may be used, without restriction, to replace the relevant ODS within the end-use specified. For example, HCFC-22 is an acceptable substitute for R-502 in industrial process refrigeration. Note that all SNAP determinations apply to the use of a specific product as a substitute for a specific ODS in a specific end-use. and Unacceptable
UnacceptableThis designation means that it is illegal to use a product as a substitute for an ODS in a specific end-use. For example, HCFC-141b is an unacceptable substitute for CFC-11 in building chillers. Note that all SNAP determinations apply to the use of a specific product as a substitute for a specific ODS in a specific end-use. substitutes are updated several times each year. The list of substitutes is shown below.
Note: SNAP-related information published in the Federal Register takes precedence over all information on this page.
Substitute | Trade Name(s) | ODP![]() |
GWP![]() |
Flammable | SNAP Listing Date | Listing Status | Further Information |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alternative processes (pumps, mechanical pressure dispensers, non-spray dispensers) | 0 | 0 | no | March 18, 1994 | Acceptable | ||
C3-C6 Saturated light hydrocarbons (e.g., propane, n-butane, isobutane) | 0 | 3 to 10 | yes | March 18, 1994 | Acceptable | Use with the necessary precautions due to flammability. | |
Compressed Gases (carbon dioxide, air, nitrogen, nitrous oxide) | 0 to 0.017 | 0 to 300 | no | March 18, 1994 | Acceptable | ||
Dimethyl Ether | 0 | <5 | yes | March 18, 1994 | Acceptable | Use with the necessary precautions due to flammability. Blends of DME with HCFCs are subject to section 610 restrictions. | |
HCFC-142b | 0.065 | 2,310 | yes | March 18, 1994; July 20, 2015 |
Unacceptable as of September 18, 2015. | All aerosol propellant uses of HCFC-22 and HCFC-142b are already prohibited as of January 1, 1994, under Section 610(d) of the Clean Air Act. Only one exemption exists. It is described in the section on aerosol substitutes in 59 FR 13044. It is illegal to manufacture or sell aerosols containing HCFC-22 or HCFC-142b as the propellant as of January 1, 2010, as per 40 CFR 82.15(g)(2). | |
HCFC-22 | 0.055 | 1,810 | no | March 18, 1994; July 20, 2015 |
Unacceptable as of September 18, 2015. | All aerosol propellant uses of HCFC-22 and HCFC-142b are already prohibited as of January 1, 1994, under Section 610(d) of the Clean Air Act. Only one exemption exists. It is described in the section on aerosol substitutes in 59 FR 13044. It is illegal to manufacture or sell aerosols containing HCFC-22 or HCFC-142b as the propellant as of January 1, 2010, as per 40 CFR 82.15(g)(2). | |
HFC-125 | 0 | 3,500 | no | March 18, 1994; July 20, 2015 |
Unacceptable as of January 1, 2016. [1] | ||
HFC-134a | 0 | 1,430 | no | March 18, 1994; July 20, 2015 |
Unacceptable as of July 20, 2016 except for uses listed as acceptable, subject to use conditions. [1] Acceptable with Use Conditions: From July 20, 2016 to January 1, 2018, acceptable subject to use conditions for products for which new formulations require federal governmental review and products for smoke detector functionality testing. As of July 20, 2016, acceptable subject to use conditions for a number of additional uses specified in the rule. As of July 20, 2016, blends of HFC-134a acceptable for FDA-approved MDIs for medical purposes. [1] |
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HFC-152a | 0 | 124 | yes | March 18, 1994 | Acceptable | ||
HFC-227ea | 0 | 3,220 | no | May 22, 1998; July 20, 2015 |
Unacceptable as of July 20, 2016 except for uses listed as acceptable, subject to use conditions. [1] Acceptable as of July 20, 2016 for FDA-approved MDIs for medical purposes. [1] |
Despite the relatively high global warming potential of this compound, the agency has listed this substitute as acceptable since it meets a specialized application in metered dose inhalers where other substitutes do not provide acceptable performance. | |
HFO-1234ze(E) (trans-1,3,3,3-tetrafluoroprop-1-ene) | 0 | 6 | no | June 16, 2010 | Acceptable | CAS Reg. No. is 29118-24-9. It has a recommended workplace exposure limit of 1000 ppm and a preliminary recommended acute consumer exposure limit of 420 ppm. | |
SF6 | 0 | 22,800 | no | October 16, 1996 | Unacceptable | SF6 has the highest GWP of all industrial gases, and other compressed gases meet user needs equally well. |
1 As per EPA’s April 27, 2018 guidance (83 FR 18431), based on the court’s partial vacatur, in the near term EPA will not apply these HFC listings in the 2015 Rule, pending a rulemaking.