Finding alternatives to dangerous chemicals is essential to safeguard our atmosphere as well as the public’s, workers’, and environment’s safety. Government agencies and the business sectors impacted by these laws will need to work together to get the job done.

The Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) program is implemented by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in order to carry out Section 612 of the Amended Clean Air Act of 1990, which requires EPA to consider alternatives to ozone depleting substances in order to lower the overall risk to human health and the environment.

Based on the dangers to people and the environment, the EPA determines whether an ODS substitute is acceptable or unsuitable under the SNAP program. To be considered acceptable, a suggested ODS alternative must lower risk when compared to other alternatives or Class I or Class II substances, albeit it need not be completely risk free. The EPA evaluates a wide range of factors using comparative-risk evaluation, including the potential to deplete the ozone layer, additional contributions to global warming, flammability, toxicity, and even worker safety and health.

Class I ODS Substances; one of several groups of chemicals with an ozone depletion potential of 0.2 or higher including chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydrobromofluorocarbons (HBFCs), halons, carbon tetrachloride, methyl chloroform, and methyl bromide.

Class II ODS Substances: chemicals with an ODP of less than 0.2, which includes all hydrofluorocarbons (HCFCs).

According to section 612, the EPA examines each alternative substitute by usage while taking these risk criteria into account. The EPA classifies the risk of an alternative based on potential various end-uses because it is aware that health and environmental implications might vary significantly by application. Furthermore, other environmental requirements that apply to an alternative substitute are considered while making a judgment.