Protection of Stratospheric Ozone: Listing MT-31 as an Unacceptable Refrigerant Under EPA's Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) Program

With this action, EPA's Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) program lists as unacceptable for all refrigeration and air- conditioning end-uses the refrigerant blend known by the trade name MT- 31. This refrigerant blend was previously listed as an acceptable substitute for CFC-12 and HCFC-22 in various end-uses within the refrigerant and air-conditioning sector. After June 3, 1997, the date on which EPA published the Notice of Acceptability that listed MT-31 as acceptable, EPA became aware of toxicity data concerning one of the chemicals contained in the MT-31 blend that present significant concerns about risks to human health that may arise as a result of the use of this chemical, either alone or in a blend, in the refrigeration and air-conditioning sector. Today, therefore, EPA is removing MT-31 from the list of acceptable substitutes, and is listing MT-31 as unacceptable in all refrigeration and air-conditioning end-uses.