Why is R-22 so expensive?

R-22 is so expensive because it has been phased out of production due to its ozone depletion potential under the Montreal Protocol, creating scarcity. R-22 is an HCFC refrigerant containing chlorine that damages the ozone layer, so developed countries agreed to ban production and import for new equipment. In the US and EU, production and import were banned from January 1, 2020, with only reclaimed and recycled R-22 from recovered old systems allowed for servicing existing equipment. As old R-22 systems are retired, less R-22 is recovered, reducing supply while millions of old air conditioners still need it, so supply-demand imbalance drives price up. Additional factors include cost of recovery, reclamation to AHRI 700 purity, storage, and certification requirements, as only EPA certified technicians can handle it. Taxes and fees on ozone-depleting substances also add cost. Newer alternatives like R-410A and R-454B require new equipment, so owners of old R-22 systems face expensive refrigerant if they have leaks. This combination of banned production, limited reclaimed stock, high demand for legacy equipment, and regulatory handling costs makes R-22 much more expensive than newer refrigerants.