the EPA has approved three alternative refrigerants to replace hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) in commercial and household freezers via the Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) program. The three alternative refrigerants legalized by the EPA were hydrocarbons propane, isobutane and a substance called HCR188C – a hydrocarbon blend (ethane, propane, isobutane and n-butane). HCR188C is used today in commercial refrigeration applications (supermarket refrigerators, stand-alone refrigerators and refrigerating display cases), in refrigerated transportation, automotive air-conditioning systems and retrofit safety valve (for automotive applications) and residential window air-conditioners. The Future of Refrigeration In October 2016, negotiators from 197 countries have reached an agreement to reduce emissions of chemical refrigerants that contribute to global warming, re-emphasizing the historical importance of the Montreal Protocol and aiming to increase its impact upon the use greenhouse gases besides the efforts made to reduce ozone depletion caused by the chlorofluorocarbons. The agreement, closed at a United Nations meeting in Kigali, Rwanda set the terms for a rapid phasedown of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) which would be stopped from manufacturing altogether and have their uses reduced over time. The UN agenda and the Rwanda deal aims to find a new generation of refrigerants to be safe from both an ozone layer and greenhouse effect point of view. The legally binding agreement could reduce projected emissions by as much as 88% and lower global warming with almost 0.5 degrees Celsius (nearly 1 degree Fahrenheit) by 2100. See also Pumpable ice technology References External links How to Buy an Energy-Efficient Commercial Ice Machine. Federal Energy Management Program. Accessed April 2, 2009. Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning Cooling technology Food preservation Water ice Home appliances