PRODUCTION CEASES IN THE YEAR 2020 R22 or HCFC-22 is a single component HCFC refrigerant with low ozone depletion potential. It has long been used in a variety of air-conditioning and refrigeration applications in a variety of markets, including appliance, construction, food processing, and supermarkets. IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT R-22 REFRIGERANT DESTROYS THE OZONE LAYER OF THE EARTH WHICH PRESENTS A HEALTH HAZARD. THE UNITED STATES SIGNED AN AGREEMENT WITH APPROXIMATELY EIGHTY OTHER COUNTRIES TO PHASE OUT OZONE DEPLETING REFRIGERANTS. THE FIRST REFRIGERANTS TO BE PHASED OUT WERE THE CFC REFRIGERANTS (R-12, R-502, R-11, R-500, R-113, ETC.) THIS PHASE OUT HAPPENED IN 1995 AND THE PRICE OF R-12 INCREASED FROM $30 DOLLARS PER 30 LB. CYLINDER TO OVER $1,000 DOLLARS PER 30 LB. CYLINDER. THE HCFC REFRIGERANTS (R-22) PHASE OUT BEGAN JANUARY 1, 2003. THE ESTIMATED SUPPLY AND DEMAND IN THE U.S. WAS BALANCED AT AN ESTIMATED 277,091 METRIC TONS PER YEAR PRIOR TO 2003. UNLIKE THE CFC PHASE OUT WHERE BEGINNING IN 1995, THE MANUFACTURING AND/OR IMPORTING OF ALL CFC REFRIGERANTS (R-12, ETC.) WERE BANNED IN THE UNITED STATES, THE HCFC REFRIGERANT PHASE OUT IS A GRADUAL PHASE OUT OVER SIXTEEN YEARS 2003-2019. BEGINNING IN 2003 AND CONTINUING THROUGH 2009, THE YEARLY SUPPLY OF R-22 WAS CUT 35% FROM THE ESTIMATED SUPPLY OF 277,091 METRIC TONS TO 180,109 METRIC TONS. DURING THIS PERIOD DEMAND CONTINUES TO INCREASE DUE TO NEW HOME CONSTRUCTION, THE NEW REQUIRED ENERGY SAVINGS SEER SPECIFICATION FOR NEW AC EQUIPMENT, AND THE ON GOING SERVICING REQUIREMENTS. THE NEW SEER REQUIREMENT ALONE INCREASES DEMAND BY AN ESTIMATED 30%. FROM 2010 - 2014, THE YEARLY SUPPLY OF R-22 WILL BE CUT 75% TO 69,272 METRIC TONS. FROM 2015 – 2019, THE YEARLY SUPPLY OF R-22 WILL BE CUT 90% TO 27,709 METRIC TONS AND BEGINNING 2020, THE YEARLY SUPPLY WILL BE CUT TO 0%. THERE WILL BE NO NEW VIRGIN R-22 AVAILABLE IN THE UNITED STATES AFTER 2019 EXCEPT RECLAIMED R-22. THE MAJOR DIFFERENCE BETWEEN R-12 AND R-22 IS THE DEMAND FOR R-12 DECREASED IMMEDIATELY AFTER 1998 BECAUSE ALL OF THE NEW MODEL AUTOMOBILES BEGINNING IN 1995 USED R-134a. TYPICALLY CONSUMERS PURCHASE NEW AUTOMOBILES EVERY THREE TO FIVE YEARS BUT IN THE CASE OF R-22, THE HOME THAT USES R-22 IN THE A/C SYSTEM WILL NEED R-22 SERVICING FOR TEN TO THIRTY YEARS LONGER THAN AUTOMOBILES NEEDED R-12 SERVICING. IN OUR OPINION, THE YEARLY INCREASING DEMAND FOR R-22 WILL CONTINUE FOR MANY YEARS IN THE FUTURE. THEREFORE, WE BELIEVE THAT BECAUSE OF THE INCREASING DEMAND AND DECREASING SUPPLY, THE PRICE OF R-22 WILL INCREASE EVERY YEAR THROUGH AT LEAST 2020. All Prices Include Free Delivery To Your Facility