Proposed HFC Refrigerant Restrictions (new)

You may have seen recently in the news that the Australian Government is proposing new restrictions on HFC refrigerants from 1 January 2028.

Under the proposal, commercial refrigeration equipment would need to use refrigerants with a new lower, yet-to-be-set Global Warming Potential (GWP) level.

This includes refrigerants containing HFCs, and may include commonly used HFO/HFC blends such as R448A, R449A, R452A and R513A. While these refrigerants have provided lower-GWP alternatives for applications such as R404A retrofits, it is yet to be established if they will be above the proposed limit for new refrigeration equipment from 2028.

Importantly, the proposal does not mean existing refrigeration equipment needs to be replaced. HFC refrigerants, including blends above the yet-to-be proposed GWP limit, would still be able to be imported and used to maintain equipment already in service.

Australia’s existing HFC phase-down will also continue, progressively reducing the amount of HFC refrigerant available for import. This means the cost and availability of higher-GWP refrigerants may become an increasingly important consideration over the life of an existing refrigeration system.

The proposal remains subject to industry consultation and has not yet been finalised.

Baker Refrigeration is already well positioned for the transition, with extensive experience supplying, installing and maintaining transcritical CO₂ refrigeration systems and a plug-in refrigeration range predominantly using R290.

Our advice to retailers remains the same: consider the expected operating life of any new refrigeration investment. Equipment installed today may still be operating well into the 2030s, so where practical, refrigerant choice should take future regulatory and refrigerant availability into account rather than simply meeting today’s requirements.

AJ Baker is participating in the industry consultation process and providing feedback on the practical implications for commercial refrigeration.

For retailers planning a new store, refurbishment or equipment replacement, Baker Refrigeration can assess existing assets and provide options covering continued use, staged replacement, refurbishment and lower-GWP or natural-refrigerant solutions.

The proposed changes may accelerate a transition that is already well underway across commercial refrigeration, and Baker Refrigeration will continue to help retailers identify practical, long-term refrigeration solutions as the requirements become clearer.

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