Vending

NAMA applauds amendments to refrigerant standards for vending

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November 19, 2020

Convenience service operators will be better able to meet refrigerant phaseouts for vending machines thanks to standard amendments adopted by the American Society of Heating and Air Conditioning Engineers and Underwriters Laboratories, according to a press release.

ASHRAE amended its ASHRAE 15 standard while UL amended its UL 541 standards, Mike Goscinski, director of federal and state affairs at the National Automatic Merchandising Association, said via email. NAMA worked with worked with the organizations on the amendments.

"This is a tremendous victory for machine manufacturers and operators, finally allowing the unrestricted placement of vending machines cooled by new technologies with less environmental impact," Carla Balakgie, NAMA president and CEO, said in the release.

States across the nation continue to pass laws phasing out the use of hydrofluorocarbons, currently the most common refrigerant used in vending machines. Securing this standards update better positions convenience service operators to meet HFC phaseout timelines.

The outdated standards restricted refrigerated vending machines using HC R-290 — the industry's most viable coolant alternative due to its low environmental impact and excellent performance — from being placed in hallways, lobbies and places of ingress and egress, according to the release.