Toxic substances like hydrogen fluoride and carbon dioxide are created when R32, like all fluorinated refrigerants, is burnt. Asphyxiation and freeze burns are also a risk.
Asphyxiation and freeze burns are also a risk. For transportation purposes, R32 is classified as a dangerous goods class 2.1 flammable gas under the Australian Dangerous Goods Code and therefore requires additional handling and storage safeguards compared to class 2.2 non-flammable gases.
Regulatory - There are no published regulations or granted EPA petitions that state R-32 will be prohibited in the U.S. after 2029. In fact, R-32 is a single component refrigerant, while R-454B is a blend that consists of nearly 70% R-32.
R-32 is the most balanced refrigerant in terms of environmental impact, energy efficiency, safety, and cost-effectiveness. Refrigerant is a medium for conveying heat. Air conditioners transfer heat while circulating refrigerant between the indoor and outdoor units.
The Takeaway. In most cases, R32 is the superior refrigerant when compared to R410A. While neither refrigerant depletes the ozone layer, R32 has a lower GWP and is easier to recycle. R32 also has lower operating and maintenance costs and is nowadays more common than R410A due to the phase-out.
In general speak, Class A refrigerants are called non toxic and Class B are called toxic. Compared to all other Class A (Lower Toxicity) refrigerants such as R22, R410A, R134a, R290 (Propane) and R600a (Isobutane), R32 has the highest (safest) Acute Toxicity Exposure Limit (ATEL) of 220,000 ppm.
Toxic substances like hydrogen fluoride and carbon dioxide are created when R32, like all fluorinated refrigerants, is burnt. Asphyxiation and freeze burns are also a risk.
LG leads the way with R32 refrigerant
Now builders can take advantage of the many benefits of R32 refrigerant for their homeowners with LG solutions and technologies as a refrigerant that reliably keeps homes warm and cool.
Air conditioner refrigerant gas legislation
R32 is the newest and most popular air conditioner refrigerant gas. This is because of its relatively high efficiency and low GWP (Global Warming Potential). R410A is also popular, but its higher GWP means that its more harmful to the environment.
Notice that R-11 has the highest ODP of 1. R-11 is the most destructive refrigerant and we compare all other refrigerants against it. Note also that R-11 is a CFC, which we have already discussed is the most destructive refrigerant to ozone.
AC units manufactured since 2010 use R410A, and more recently, R32 refrigerants, both are virtually odourless. This means that a smell of rotten eggs is unlikely to be the smell of leaking refrigerant coming from your air conditioner itself.
While R32 and R410A are similar in many ways, they're incompatible with systems that aren't designed for them.
R32 has an atmospheric lifetime of less than five years. However, other common kinds of refrigerants like R410A and R11, can stay in the atmosphere for between 17 to 45 years. Aside from R32's environmentally-friendly characteristics, this substance is also known for its general safety.
Here are some key reasons for a burst in air-conditioning systems using R32: Inadequate design and location of indoor & outdoor units. For High Ambient cities / countries – in case of placement of outdoor units at direct Solar's exposure. Low thickness / gauges piping or inappropriate fittings.
What refrigerant will replace R-410A in 2025? For whole-home systems, Lennox has chosen 2025 Compliant Refrigerant R-454B due to its excellent performance for ducted systems and zero ozone depletion potential. For mini-splits, we selected R-32, designed to optimize efficiency and reliability in ductless systems.
The Key Differences Between R22 & R32
R22 loses on both fronts. This gas has a medium ozone depletion potential, which is too high to be approved for any use. Meanwhile, its global warming potential is 1810. R32 has a zero ozone depletion potential and a GWP of 675.
All new systems will use either R-32 or R-454B HVAC Refrigerant, replacing the older R-410A version. It might seem like a great bother until you understand the purpose of these refrigerants. Air conditioners and heat pumps use a principle called heat transfer, illustrated by an ordinary popsicle.
The Refrigerant Transition
This phasedown began in 2022 with a 90% production allowance (meaning businesses must reduce HFC-derived CO2 emissions to 90% of baseline values) that drops to 15% by 2036 and beyond.
R32 is an hydrofluorocarbon compound which has zero ODP, which means it does not harm the ozone layer. Refrigerants are divided into two categories; Class A and Class B, based on toxicity. R32 falls under Class B, the non-toxic category. This means that it is safe for both humans and the environment.
R32 POE 32 Synthetic Lubricant by Errecom is composed by a mix of NEW Polyol Esters and Additives which have been specifically formulated for a better lubrication, chemical and thermal stability and an excellent antiwear protection of all the components of AC/R Systems working with R32 (Refrigerant with low GWP level).
Research conducted to prepare the document confirms that R32 is NOT an extremely flammable, highly toxic gas that causes cancer (as some industry representatives have suggested).
MULTICOOL-HC32 is a high purity mixture of propane R290 and R170 ethane. It is a refrigerant with a reduced global warming potential (GWP). It is designed to replace R410a and R32 in most stationary residential and commercial air conditioning systems.
Which gases are used in AC? R290 and R32 are both gases used in air conditioning units. They're also known as refrigerants, which means they help cool down your room by turning into liquids when pumped through the system. Compared to other gases such as R12, and R22, they are safer and environment-friendly to use.
Modern refrigerators usually use a refrigerant called HFC-134a (1,1,1,2-Tetrafluoroethane), which, unlike CFCs, does not deplete the ozone layer, although it still is a quite potent greenhouse gas. HFC-134a is becoming much rarer in Europe, where newer refrigerants are being used instead.