Industries should prepare for increased use of HFO gases

As a result of the Kigali Agreement, countries will gradually start phasing out the use of hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) gases, replacing them with hydrofluoro-olefin (HFO) gases and natural refrigerants like ammonia, carbon dioxide and hydrocarbons, says industrial gases supplier A-Gas South Africa. National sales manager Michael Labacher notes that chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) were used prior to 1996, when they were phased out globally by the Montreal Protocol. This led to the introduction of HFC. The Kigali Agreement targets the gradual phasing-out of HFCs and their replacement with HFOs, which are fourth- generation fluorine-based gases.