R-290 — GWP, safety class & UK F-Gas status
Propane · natural. Future-proof · ultra-low GWP under UK F-Gas rules — full readout, replacements and timeline below.
R-290
Propane · natural
- UK F-Gas
- No F-Gas quota impact. Highly flammable (A3), so charge is strictly limited by room size and it is mainly used in sealed monobloc heat pumps and small packs.
- Typical use
- Monobloc heat pumps, small commercial
- ODP
- 0
UK F-Gas phase-down timeline
Where the wider phase-down stands.
- 2015
R-22 servicing ban
No virgin or reclaimed HCFCs for servicing. The original ozone phase-out completes.
- 2020
High-GWP service ban
Virgin F-Gas with GWP of 2,500 or more banned for refrigeration of 40 tCO₂e or more — hits R-404A / R-507A.
- Jan 2025
New single-split ban
New single-split AC systems containing under 3 kg of F-gas cannot use refrigerants of 750 GWP or more (retained EU 517/2014, Annex III) — rules out R-410A and R-407C.
- 2030
Quota squeeze
The HFC quota drops to about 21% of the 2015 baseline and the reclaimed/recycled exemption for GWP 2,500+ servicing ends — R-404A / R-507A become effectively unavailable.
- 2032
Monobloc ban (EU)
EU Regulation 2024/573 bans F-gases in new self-contained / monobloc AC and heat pumps up to 12 kW. GB retains EU 517/2014 and has not adopted this step — DEFRA consulted on GB reform (closed Dec 2025), response due 2026.
- 2035
Split ban (EU)
EU Regulation 2024/573 bans F-gases in new split AC and heat pumps up to 12 kW. Not yet GB law — GB still follows retained EU 517/2014 pending the delayed HFC phase-down reform.
Frequently asked questions about R-290
Is R-290 banned in the UK?
No F-Gas quota impact. Highly flammable (A3), so charge is strictly limited by room size and it is mainly used in sealed monobloc heat pumps and small packs.
What is R-290's GWP (Global Warming Potential)?
R-290 has a GWP of 3 on an AR4 basis — below both UK F-Gas thresholds (750 and 2,500 GWP).
What replaces R-290?
R-290 is current-generation in this reference — there's no listed replacement for it.
Is R-290 flammable?
R-290 is ASHRAE 34 safety class A3. It is flammable, so it needs appropriately rated tools, leak detection and charge-limit checks.