Last reviewed: August 2026 · By the HVAC Brief Editorial Team · Our sourcing and editorial standards
Commerce has continued the antidumping duty order on difluoromethane, R-32, from China, in a notice published August 11, 2026 at 91 FR 51658. The order stays in force after Commerce and the International Trade Commission both found that revoking it would likely lead to continued dumping and material injury.
R-32 is not a niche input. It is roughly two thirds of R-454B by weight, the refrigerant most manufacturers moved to for residential equipment, and half of R-410A.
The docket is A-570-121. A continuation follows a sunset review, in which Commerce examines whether dumping would resume and the ITC examines whether injury would recur. Both answered yes, so the order remains rather than lapsing.
Why an R-32 duty reaches residential HVAC
R-32 is a component, not just a standalone refrigerant. It is the dominant constituent of R-454B, the A2L blend that replaced R-410A in most new residential equipment after the 700 GWP threshold took effect on January 1, 2025. It is also half of R-410A itself.
That means a trade measure on R-32 touches both sides of the transition at once: the refrigerant going into new systems and the refrigerant keeping the installed base running.
Commerce publishes duty determinations, not price forecasts. A continued order maintains an existing constraint rather than adding a new one, and we make no prediction about what it does to what a cylinder costs. What is documented is that the constraint stays in place while demand shifts toward exactly this molecule.
The wider supply picture
The order continues while HFC supply is already capped and stepping down. Production allowances sit at 60% of baseline and drop to 30% on January 1, 2029 under 40 CFR 84.7. See our phasedown schedule and our explainer on what R-454B is.
Frequently asked questions
What did Commerce decide about R-32 duties?
Commerce published a notice of continuation of the antidumping duty order on difluoromethane, R-32, from China on August 11, 2026, at 91 FR 51658, docket A-570-121. Commerce and the International Trade Commission both determined that revoking the order would likely lead to continuation or recurrence of dumping and material injury.
Why does an R-32 duty matter for HVAC?
R-32 is roughly two thirds of R-454B by weight, the A2L refrigerant most manufacturers adopted for residential equipment after January 1, 2025, and half of R-410A. A trade measure on R-32 therefore touches both new equipment and service of the existing installed base.
Does this mean refrigerant prices will rise?
Commerce publishes duty determinations, not price forecasts, and a continuation maintains an existing order rather than imposing a new one. We make no price prediction. What is documented is that the measure remains while HFC production allowances are separately capped and stepping down.
Sources
- US Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration, “Difluoromethane (R-32) From the People’s Republic of China: Continuation of Antidumping Duty Order,” 91 FR 51658, published August 11, 2026, docket A-570-121.
- US Environmental Protection Agency, 40 CFR 84.7, HFC phasedown schedule.
The HVAC Brief is an independent trade publication. We do not sell equipment, take manufacturer advertising, or accept payment for placement in our research. Corrections welcome.
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