US defence agency initiates $90m HFC stockpile

USA: The US Department of Defense (DOD) has invested $90m to stockpile HFCs to support its military operations worldwide.

With hydrofluorocarbons seen as a crucial component in various US military applications, including air conditioning systems, refrigeration and fire suppression, the investment is a response to the US AIM act, which regulates the production and consumption of HFCs. 

The DOD says that military services and government agencies rely on these HFC systems to maintain operational readiness and ensure the safety of personnel and equipment.

An HFC storage facility will be established in phases, with the initial phase utilising a vacant facility belonging to the country’s Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) in Richmond, Virginia. The DLA will continue to supply HFCs to its military customers through its Industrial Gas Program, but it says that the new repository will provide a secure and reliable source of HFCs for future needs.

The DLA’s ODS Program Office also manages a finite reserve of ozone depleting substances that are no longer produced or imported. Excess or used ODS are returned and reclaimed for re-issue.

The secure storage facilities for both HFCs and ODS are protected by the DLA police force, with regular visual and electronic leak detection checks being carried out to ensure their safe handling and storage.

In a statement the DLA said: “As the military services and government agencies transition to alternative technologies, the DLA’s ODS Program Office will play a critical role in managing the phase-out of ODS and the introduction of new, more environmentally friendly substances.”