Figure 1. Examples of common refrigerants and their climate and environmental impacts
High-GWP: red; Medium-GWP: yellow; Low-GWP: green
| Type | GWP (20-yr) | GWP (100-yr) | Life (yr) | Ozone Depleting? | PFAS? | Safety Class* | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R11 | CFC | 8,320 | 6,230 | 52 | Yes | A1 | |
| R12 | CFC | 12,700 | 12,500 | 102 | Yes | A1 | |
| R22 | HCFC | 5,690 | 1,960 | 11.9 | Yes | A1 | |
| R141b | HCFC | 2,710 | 860 | 9.4 | Yes | ||
| R125 | HFC | 6,740 | 3,740 | 30 | No | Yes | A1 |
| R134a | HFC | 4,140 | 1,530 | 14 | No | Yes | A1 |
| R143a | HFC | 7,840 | 5,810 | 51 | No | Yes | A2L |
| R404A | HFC blend | 7,208 | 4,728 | No | Yes | A1 | |
| R407C | HFC blend | 4,457 | 1,908 | No | Yes | A1 | |
| R410A | HFC blend | 4,715 | 2,256 | No | Yes | A1 | |
| R452A | HFC/HFO blend | 4,273 | 2,292 | No | Yes | A1 | |
| R32 | HFC | 2,690 | 771 | 5.4 | No | No | A2L |
| R452B | HFC/HFO blend | 2,275 | 779 | No | Yes | A2L | |
| R454A | HFC/HFO blend | 943 | 270 | No | Yes | A2L | |
| R513A | HFC/HFO blend | 1,823 | 673 | No | Yes | A1 | |
| R290 (Propane) | Natural | 0.072 | 0.02 | 0.036 | No | No | A3 |
| R600a (Isobutane) | Natural | < 1 | < 1 | 0.019 | No | No | A3 |
| R717 (Ammonia) | Natural | < 1 | < 1 | < 1 | No | No | B2L |
| R744 (CO₂) | Natural | 1 | 1 | No | No | A1 | |
| R1234yf | HFO | 1.81 | 0.501 | 0.033 | No | Yes | A2L |
| R1234ze(E) | HFO | 4.94 | 1.37 | 0.052 | No | Yes | A2L |
*Safety classes based on ASHRAE Standard 34:
A1: non-flammable, lower toxicity
A2L: lower flammability, lower toxicity
A3: higher flammability, lower toxicity
B2L: lower flammability, higher toxicity
Sources: Baha & Dupont, 2023; Behringer et al., 2021; Burkholder et al., 2023; Garry, 2021; Smith et al., 2021; Trevisan, 2023; United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), 2023; UNEP & ASHRAE, 2025; own calculations for blended refrigerant GWPs.