# Fixing the refrigerant problem

- Show: [Catalyst](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst)
- Published: 2024-11-07
- Length: 28m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-11-07-fixing-the-refrigerant-problem

## Summary

Ian McGavisk, senior advisor at RMI and business development at Transaera, discusses the climate impact of refrigerants, noting that emissions from the sector are comparable to aviation. He explains the transition from ozone-depleting substances to high-GWP synthetics and now to lower-GWP alternatives like R-454B and R-32, while highlighting the economic barriers to recovering existing refrigerants. McGavisk emphasizes that without government intervention or market shifts, the leakage of current high-GWP fluids during the transition period poses a significant environmental risk.

## Chapters

- [0:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-11-07-fixing-the-refrigerant-problem#t=1) Introduction: The Scale of Refrigerant Emissions
- [5:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-11-07-fixing-the-refrigerant-problem#t=307) History and Evolution of Refrigerants
- [9:45](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-11-07-fixing-the-refrigerant-problem#t=585) Climate Impact and Leakage Sources
- [16:34](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-11-07-fixing-the-refrigerant-problem#t=994) Economics of Recovery and Reclamation
- [19:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-11-07-fixing-the-refrigerant-problem#t=1148) Next-Gen Low GWP Refrigerants and Tradeoffs
- [22:41](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-11-07-fixing-the-refrigerant-problem#t=1361) Market Dynamics and PFAS Concerns
- [27:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-11-07-fixing-the-refrigerant-problem#t=1624) Urgency of Recovery During Transition

## Topics

- [Energy & climate tech](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/energy-and-climate-tech)
- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)
- [Sustainability & circular products](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sustainability-and-circularity)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- RMI (company)
- Transaera (company)
- Energy Impact Partners (company)
- Montreal Protocol (other)
- R-410A (product)
- R-454B (product)
- R-32 (product)
- Propane (product)
- Isobutane (product)
- Ammonia (product)
- Willis Carrier (company)
- AIM Act (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [How a User-Installable Heat Pump Can Decarbonize Apartment Buildings: Insights from Vince Romanin, CEO of Gradient](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2023-10-12-how-a-user-installable-heat-pump-can-decarbonize-apartment-buildings-insights-fr) (Hardware to Save a Planet)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2024-11-07-fixing-the-refrigerant-problem. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Catalyst.