The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its final rules on prohibiting the use of certain refrigerants and foam insulation currently being used in vending machines.
In a statement to members, NAMA SVP of Government Affairs Eric Dell wrote, “Our team is working to review the rule and its sections applicable to vending. NAMA will evaluate the impact of the rule on the industry and assess if further steps are needed to provide flexibility for the industry.”
He continued, “Just last week, NAMA was joined by an industry leader to meet directly with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to relay concerns in the proposed rule. Our major concern was the implementation/compliance dates for restricting refrigerants (January 1, 2016) and foam blowing agents (January 1, 2017). We had requested compliance dates be set for 2020 on both items. The final rule has set a compliance date of January 1, 2019 for new vending machines and ranges on foams from January 2017 - January 2021, depending on the product used. The compliance date for retrofit vending machines is one year from the date of publication of this rule.”
“We will continue to share updates as we obtain them, so please keep a close eye on NAMA email, website and social media communications for the latest information,” he wrote.
Click here for EPA's Fact Sheet, which includes a synopsis of the rule and how it impacts the industry.
