PFAS in Refrigeration

What They Are, Why They Matter, and a Practical Way to Avoid Them

What are PFAS?

PFAS (pronounced “PEA-fass”) are a large family of human-made chemicals sometimes called “forever chemicals.” They earned that nickname because they don’t break down easily in the environment and can build up over time. Governments and utilities are paying closer attention to PFAS due to potential health and environmental concerns.

How do PFAS relate to refrigerants?

Some commonly used refrigerants are fluorinated—and depending on how a regulator defines PFAS, those fluorinated gases or their breakdown products can fall into PFAS discussions. This is creating uncertainty for manufacturers that want to make long-term, compliant choices.

The bottom line takeaway for manufacturers: If your refrigerant contains fluorine, there’s a chance it could be pulled into PFAS conversations now or in the future.

One dependable way to lower PFAS risk? Choose a PFAS-free refrigerant. Like our newest breakthrough in sustainable refrigeration: The Elite 290 from G&D Chiilers.

Our newest line of Elite 290 chillers utilize Propane (R290) as a natural, hydrocarbon refrigerant. There’s no fluorine in propane, so by its chemistry it is not a PFAS. That makes R290 a straightforward option for companies looking to avoid PFAS at the source.

Why many facilities are moving to R290 systems:

• PFAS-free by design: No fluorine in the molecule.
• Low climate impact: Very low GWP compared to legacy HFCs.
• Strong performance: Excellent thermodynamic efficiency for process cooling.
• Future-minded choice: Helps sidestep evolving PFAS scrutiny while aligning with HFC phase-down trends.

What this means for your plant

Whether you run a cellar, brewhouse, packaging line, digester, CO₂ scrubber or a compressor bank, your chiller is mission-critical. When you plan upgrades, think about three boxes to check:

• Compliance longevity: Will my refrigerant choice age well as rules tighten?
• Environmental profile: Can I reduce PFAS concerns and lower climate impact?
• Operational efficiency: Will my system deliver reliable, easy-to-service uptime?

R290 can help you check all three.

PFAS FAQs (in simple terms)

Are all modern refrigerants PFAS?
No. PFAS is a broad family of chemicals; definitions vary by regulator. Many modern refrigerants are fluorinated, which is why they show up in PFAS conversations. Propane (R290) contains no fluorine and is not a PFAS.

Is R290 safe?
R290 is a flammable refrigerant, so the equipment must be engineered and installed to applicable codes with proper safety controls. In industrial settings, R290 systems are designed with these safeguards in mind.

Will R290 meet my cooling loads?
In most brewery, winery, food/dairy, biogas, and general industrial applications, yes. The right answer depends on load profile, ambient conditions, and piping/glycol design. Our engineers can model your duty cycle and size a system accordingly.

What about service and support?
G&D builds rugged, serviceable systems made in the USA, with remote monitoring and 24/7 tech support to keep you running when it counts.

How to evaluate your next chiller (quick checklist)

• Inventory your current refrigerants (model numbers + gas type).
• Flag any fluorinated gases for a risk review with EHS/legal.
• Model your annual load profile and peak demand.
• Compare total cost of ownership for R290 vs. your status quo (energy, maintenance, compliance exposure).
• Plan changeover timing to minimize downtime (off-season or scheduled outage).

Ready to plan a PFAS-aware cooling strategy?

G&D Chillers engineers natural-refrigerant, industrial-grade systems—including R290—for harsh, high-duty environments. We’ll help you compare options, run the numbers, and design a system that fits your process and your compliance roadmap.

Talk with an engineer