NYS DEC Part 494 Refrigerant Rules Explained

New York State’s Hydrofluorocarbon Standards and Reporting regulation, known as NYS DEC Part 494, establishes statewide controls on high-GWP refrigerants, equipment prohibitions, leak-management requirements, labeling, and reporting obligations. Adopted in 2020 and updated in 2024, the regulation aligns with federal HFC phasedown actions and implements elements of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. Part 494 affects manufacturers, distributors, suppliers, supermarkets, and commercial owners of refrigeration and air-conditioning systems containing 50 pounds or more of refrigerant. This blog summarizes the rule, who it applies to, and what must be done to comply.

What NYS DEC Part 494 Regulates

Part 494 applies to any person or entity that sells, imports, manufactures, distributes, installs, or uses regulated substances or equipment in New York State. The rule covers refrigerants and equipment in the following sectors:

• Refrigeration

• Air conditioning

• Heat pumps

• Foams

• Aerosols

• Solvents

The rule also applies to anyone who distributes or reclaims regulated substances. Part 494 does not require removal or discontinuation of equipment purchased before prohibition dates. Existing systems may remain in service.

Prohibitions on New Products, Systems, and Facilities

The amended regulation includes multiple GWP-based prohibitions for newly manufactured or installed equipment. Examples include:

• Air-conditioning or heat pump chillers (EPA GWP100 limit 700; NYS prohibition Jan 9, 2025)

• Residential and light commercial AC and heat pumps (700 GWP100; NYS prohibition Jan 1, 2026)

• Retail food refrigeration stand-alone units (150 GWP100; Jan 9, 2025)

• Automatic commercial ice machines (150 GWP100 or specified; Jan 1, 2026 or 2027)

New York also sets additional state-only GWP20-based prohibitions, including:

• All aerosol products (GWP20 limit 10; Jan 1, 2034)

• All foam products (GWP20 limit 20; Jan 1, 2030)

• Residential/light-commercial AC & heat pumps (GWP20 limit 10; Jan 1, 2034)

• Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) systems (GWP20 limit 10; Jan 1, 2030)

• New retail food refrigeration facilities (GWP20 limit 10; Jan 1, 2026)

Labeling and Disclosure Requirements

Beginning January 9, 2025, new products and systems covered by Section 494-1.6 must include:

• A written disclosure to the purchaser

• Public posting (e.g., website or safety data sheet)

• A product/system label with refrigerant and manufacture/install date

Refrigerant Management Program

Subpart 494-2 applies to owners/operators of air-conditioning and refrigeration equipment containing ≥50 pounds of refrigerant. Equipment is categorized by charge size:

• Small: 50–199 pounds

• Medium: 200–1499 pounds

• Large: ≥1500 pounds

Key Requirements

Registration and Labeling:

• Owners must register equipment with the Department.

• Equipment must be labeled with refrigerant charge, type, and unique ID.

Leak Detection and Monitoring:

• Automatic leak detection is required for systems ≥1500 pounds.

• Smaller systems must follow periodic inspection requirements.

Leak Repair:

• Equipment must be repaired when leak rates exceed thresholds defined by equipment type.

• Leak rate calculation methods include potential leak rate tables and rolling average formulas.

Retrofit or Retirement Plans:

• Required if leaks cannot be repaired within specified timelines.

Annual Reporting:

• Submission of refrigerant use, leak events, and repairs for each piece of equipment.

Recordkeeping:

• Owners/operators must maintain detailed service, leak, and refrigerant-use records.

Supermarket Refrigerant Program

The Supermarket Refrigerant Program applies to supermarket chains defined as a business entity that:

• Owns or operates 20 or more retail food facilities in New York that contain supermarket systems with a refrigerant charge ≥200 pounds, or

• Operates more than 100 such facilities in the United States, including in New York
  

Requirements for Supermarket Systems

• Chains may comply by using low-GWP (<10) refrigerants, annual emissions loss controls, or a hybrid approach.

• Extensions may be available, particularly for disadvantaged communities.

BUILT Engineers Can Help

BUILT Engineers provides mechanical engineering services that directly support compliance with NYS DEC Part 494, particularly for facilities with complex refrigeration, air-conditioning, and heat-pump systems. Our team assists clients by evaluating existing mechanical systems, documenting refrigerant charge capacities, identifying equipment subject to prohibition dates, and assessing feasible low-GWP alternatives based on the regulation’s technical requirements. We help owners and operators develop practical strategies for leak detection, monitoring, and repair, and we support supermarkets in planning and implementing compliant refrigeration system upgrades.

If your facility may be affected by Part 494, contact BUILT Engineers to review your systems and begin developing a clear, code-aligned compliance plan.