Australia flags new HFC restrictions, lists refrigerants on 2026-27 IChEMS workplan

The Australian government has listed hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and some HFC alternatives on the Industrial Chemicals Environmental Management Standard (IChEMS) workplan for 2026-27, signalling that new restrictions on refrigerant use – including in pre-charged equipment – could be finalised by 1 July 2027.

The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) confirmed the listing in a communication to industry stakeholders, noting that measures will be developed to manage the environmental risks of the chemicals as a group rather than on a refrigerant-by-refrigerant basis.

DCCEEW said possible measures may include restrictions on what certain HFCs can be used for, including in pre-charged equipment. Whether this will include restrictions on use of R-134a in new vehicles, as is now the case in several overseas markets, is yet to be determined.

The department said further work is underway to bring together current activities across environment, climate, and work health and safety portfolios to provide a clear and complete view of how HFCs are, and will be, managed across Australia.

For VASA members working with automotive air-conditioning systems, these developments reinforce the importance of planning for the transition away from R-134a to lower-GWP alternatives such as R-1234yf.

The measures are expected to be implemented under the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Act 1989 and will apply in addition to existing requirements such as the HFC import quota.

Australia has been phasing down HFC consumption since 2018 under the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol.

Under the phase down, availability of high global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants including R-134a, R-404A and R-410A will become increasingly limited, with rising costs and potential difficulty servicing equipment that relies on these gases.

Industry stakeholders are encouraged to provide feedback during the process. Subscriptions to IChEMS updates, including calls for information and public consultations, can be arranged by emailing ichems.enquiry@dcceew.gov.au. Policy enquiries on HFCs can be directed to ozonepolicy@dcceew.gov.au.

More information about IChEMS and the 2026-27 workplan