ATMOsphere Opens Registration for 2025 Natural Refrigerants Label with TFA Calculation

ATMOsphere has announced the opening of registration for the 2025 ATMO Approved Natural Refrigerants Label, which will now include the ability to quantify the amount of TFA (trifluoroacetic acid) avoided by companies using natural refrigerants. This enhancement adds to the label’s existing capability of calculating avoided CO2e emissions.

Introduced at the ATMO Europe Summit 2024 in Prague, CEO and Founder Marc Chasserot highlighted the pioneering nature of this update, stating, "We’ll be the first to include avoided TFA with this label, allowing companies to showcase their environmental impact by reducing both greenhouse gas emissions and TFA."

A Milestone in Sustainability

Launched in 2022, the ATMO Approved Natural Refrigerants Label recognizes companies that produce best-in-class natural refrigerant products, aiding end-users in selecting sustainable HVAC&R solutions. The label already quantifies avoided lifetime greenhouse gas emissions using a 20-year GWP measurement. The inclusion of avoided TFA marks a major evolution in the program’s data-driven approach.

The model underpinning the label uses parameters such as refrigerant charges, leakage rates, and energy efficiency. Now in its third version, the methodology has been stress-tested by independent consultants to ensure accuracy and reliability.

Stringent Application Standards

The label maintains rigorous standards. Since its inception, only 18 out of 83 applicants have been approved. Companies must reapply annually to ensure continued compliance and quality. Both manufacturers and contractors are eligible to apply.

“We want this label to be aspirational. It’s not something you can just buy,” Chasserot emphasized.

The TFA Challenge

TFA, a type of PFAS or "forever chemical," is generated through the degradation of certain f-gases like HFO-1234yf, commonly used in car air-conditioning systems. While HFO-1234yf has a low GWP, it degrades entirely into TFA, which enters soil and waterways through rainfall.

TFA has been detected in growing concentrations in water, soil, and even human blood serum, raising environmental and health concerns. Recent studies, including one published in Environmental Science & Technology, describe TFA as a "planetary boundary threat." While conclusive links to human health risks are still being researched, TFA has been connected to reproductive toxicity in rabbits and liver dysfunction in rats.

Looking Ahead

The 2025 ATMO Approved Natural Refrigerants Label represents a significant step forward in quantifying the environmental benefits of natural refrigerants. By incorporating TFA data, the label supports greater transparency and accountability for companies committed to sustainability.

Interested companies can find additional details and the registration form on the ATMOsphere website.