Obrist Group Introduces Alternatives to PFAS and F-Gases
Obrist Group Introduces Alternatives to PFAS and F-Gases
Natural Refrigerants Replacing Harmful Forever Chemicals in Cars
Lindau/Germany, Lustenau/Austria – December 10 2024 – Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are recognized as highly hazardous, and the European Union is preparing to ban these toxic chemicals. The PFAS group also includes F-gases, such as hydrofluorocarbons, which are widely used in cooling systems – from refrigerators to air conditioning units. These gases are known for their severe impact on the climate. In the automotive sector, F-gases, particularly R1234yf (tetrafluoropropene), are widely used in air conditioning systems, with thousands of tons released into the environment each year due to unavoidable leaks.
The German-Austrian industrial group Obrist Group has developed an environmentally friendly alternative. This allows air conditioning systems, such as those in vehicles, to be operated using natural refrigerants like R744 (CO2) and R290 (propane), completely eliminating the need for PFAS or F-gases, the company reports. The patented technology has been ready for mass production for some time and is now being offered to automobile manufacturers and suppliers for licensing.
As a reference, Obrist Group points to Mercedes; the car manufacturer successfully implemented the technology in 2016 with the help of Obrist, introducing the first series production of the PFAS-free refrigerant R744 in the S-Class. R744, along with Obrist's expertise, is also used in many vehicles from other car manufacturers, according to the German-Austrian industrial group. Thorsten Rixmann, Chief Marketing Officer of Obrist Group, emphasizes: "Our sustainable, environmentally friendly, PFAS- and F-gas-free technology works not only in vehicle air conditioning systems but equally well in stationary climate and heat pumps."
Health-Hazardous PFAS Contamination Spreads Across the Environment
PFAS are a large group of industrial chemicals that replace hydrogen atoms with fluorine atoms, either completely (perfluorinated) or partially (polyfluorinated). They are water-, grease- and dirt-repellent and chemically and thermally very stable, which is why they are also called ‘forever chemicals’. These unique characteristics have led to their widespread use in various industries and household products, ranging from cosmetics and cookware to textiles, semiconductors, and automotive manufacturing. The dangerous aspect of PFAS lies in their extreme durability: these chemicals are suspected of causing serious health problems in humans, including liver damage, thyroid disease, obesity, fertility issues, and cancer. Even more concerning is that, due to their presence in over 16,000 different compounds, PFAS have found their way into the environment—released into the air, washed out from treated textiles, or spread through the use of contaminated sewage sludge as fertilizer.
Every Car Releases PFAS Chemicals
This also applies to the automotive sector. Each car releases between 20 and 30 grams of PFAS chemicals annually, which adds up to thousands of tons each year. When the refrigerant R1234yf (tetrafluoropropene), commonly used in vehicle air conditioning systems, breaks down, it produces the "forever chemical" trifluoroacetic acid, which gradually accumulates in water bodies, and its effects on health and the environment are still not fully understood. According to the German Federal Environment Agency, around 800 tons of R1234yf were released from car air conditioning systems in Germany alone in 2020. Annual PFAS emissions in the EU, attributed to refrigerants, are estimated at approximately 75,000 tons, according to a 2023 report by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA).
Obrist Group: The Obrist Group, founded by inventor and entrepreneur Frank Obrist, focuses on innovations for global, sustainable and CO2-reducing energy concepts. The spectrum ranges from the global supply of renewable energies to atmospheric fuels (aFuels) and innovative CO2-negative (i.e. climate-positive!) drive concepts for the automotive industry. With around 380 key patents, the Obrist Group is one of the world's most important innovators in the field of sustainable energy concepts.
Further information: www.obrist.at
Press Contact: Thorsten Rixmann, Chief Marketing Officer, Phone +43 660 5642275, email: t.rixmann@obrist.at
Press Agency: euromarcom public relations, email: team@euromarcom.de
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