Test finds PFAS in several heat pumps
Refrigerants used in heat pumps may contain environmentally harmful PFAS gases. We examined 130 heat pumps on the Danish market for PFAS—check the list before making your investment.
There is no doubt that heat pumps are better for the climate than gas- or oil-fired heating systems. However, several heat pumps use refrigerants that may contain PFAS. This is the conclusion of our new assessment, in which we examined the refrigerants used in 130 heat pumps, including 19 ground-source heat pumps, 61 air-to-water heat pumps, and 50 air-to-air heat pumps.
The Danish Consumer Council THINK Chemicals has compiled the results into a list of 130 heat pumps available on the Danish market, allowing you to check whether the model you are considering contains PFAS and what its overall climate impact is. If you already own a heat pump, you can also see whether it is included in our list.
Refrigerants in heat pumps may contain PFAS
When investing in a heat pump, there are many factors to consider, including energy efficiency, size, noise level, and which type best suits your home. What many people do not realize is that it is also worth checking which refrigerant the heat pump uses.
The refrigerant in your heat pump may be based on PFAS gases and can have a significant climate impact if it leaks.
What is a refrigerant?
All heat pumps contain a refrigerant—a chemical mixture that circulates inside the system. It absorbs heat from the cold outdoor air, transports it into the house, and transfers it to the heating system. The refrigerant then cools, condenses back into a liquid, and repeats the cycle.
Some refrigerants are better for the environment than others, and different heat pumps use different refrigerants. Fortunately, many heat pumps do not use environmentally harmful substances, and a German study has shown that PFAS-free models perform just as efficiently as models containing PFAS.
PFAS leaks are environmentally harmful
PFAS are a large group of environmentally and health-hazardous chemicals that break down very slowly and accumulate in the environment and, ultimately, in the human body.
In heat pumps, PFAS are not a direct concern because refrigerants containing PFAS circulate within a sealed system. However, leaks or damage to the refrigerant circuit can release PFAS into the environment.
In addition, both the production of PFAS-containing refrigerants and their disposal at the end of a product's life can contribute to PFAS pollution. For this reason, it is preferable to choose heat pumps that do not contain these environmentally harmful substances.
PFAS refrigerants may affect groundwater
Some refrigerants are PFAS gases. If they leak from a heat pump, they are released into the atmosphere, where they can break down into trifluoroacetic acid (TFA). TFA can eventually reach groundwater and contaminate drinking water.
PFAS are being phased out in heat pumps
The EU has established a number of requirements for refrigerants through the F-gas Regulation. The long-term goal is to phase out all fluorinated refrigerants, also known as HFCs, including both PFAS and other fluorinated compounds. Instead, natural refrigerants such as carbon dioxide (CO₂) and propane are to be used.
The rules are being tightened gradually for different types of heat pumps. In practice, this means that PFAS refrigerants will be phased out in many heat pumps starting in 2027.
Which heat pumps contain PFAS?
We examined heat pumps to determine whether they contain PFAS and what their overall climate impact is.
Air-to-air heat pumps are PFAS-free
None of the air-to-air heat pumps we examined contain PFAS. Their refrigerants are exclusively R32 or R290.
Of the two, R290 (propane) has the lowest climate impact, while R32 (difluoromethane) is gradually being phased out because its climate impact is too high under upcoming regulations. R32 is not a PFAS but an HFC (hydrofluorocarbon).
Most air-to-air heat pumps still use R32, but our assessment identified three good options that use propane as the refrigerant.
Air-to-air heat pumps are typically used in vacation homes. They heat indoor air but cannot provide domestic hot water or underfloor heating. Each brand usually offers a wide range of different models.
PFAS found in 11 air-to-water heat pumps
Among the air-to-water heat pumps examined, 50 are PFAS-free and only 11 contain PFAS, meaning there are many good PFAS-free options. This category includes one model using CO₂ (R744) as the refrigerant and many using propane (R290).
The market is changing rapidly, with older models being phased out and replaced by newer, better alternatives.
There is a wider variety of refrigerants in this category than among air-to-air heat pumps, making it worthwhile to compare the available options carefully.
A few models use PFAS gases with a very high climate impact. Most of these are expected to disappear from the market as a result of the upcoming F-gas Regulation, which introduces stricter refrigerant requirements.
More ground-source heat pumps contain PFAS
The selection of ground-source heat pumps is smaller than in the other categories. Of the models examined, 12 contain PFAS while seven do not. However, this market is also changing, as several existing models are being discontinued and replaced with new PFAS-free alternatives.
Do you already own a heat pump with PFAS?
If your heat pump contains PFAS according to our list, there is no reason to panic. It is not inherently dangerous, and it remains a better investment than a gas-fired heating system.
The most important thing is to have it maintained by a certified technician to ensure that the refrigerant cannot leak. Likewise, when the heat pump reaches the end of its life, it should be removed by a qualified installer.
Have your heat pump serviced on time
If your heat pump contains more than 3 kg of refrigerant, you are legally required to have it inspected regularly—every two years if it contains 3–5 kg, or every year if it contains more than 5 kg.
Check your installation documentation to find out how much refrigerant your system contains, and schedule inspections with a certified refrigeration technician in good time. Remember that you should not remove the system yourself—it must be handled by a qualified professional.
PFAS refrigerants have a high climate impact
There are significant differences in how much different refrigerants contribute to climate change.
Climate impact is measured using GWP (Global Warming Potential), which indicates how harmful a refrigerant is compared with carbon dioxide.
For example, a refrigerant with a GWP of 2,088 has the same climate impact as 2,088 times its own weight in CO₂ if it is released into the atmosphere. For this reason, it is advisable to choose a heat pump that uses a refrigerant with the lowest possible GWP.
Our assessment shows that PFAS-free refrigerants are the most common, accounting for 107 of the 130 models examined. The two most widely used refrigerants are R32, found in 66 heat pumps, and R290, found in 40 heat pumps. Neither contains PFAS.
However, their climate impacts differ considerably. R32 has a GWP of 675, while R290 (propane) has a GWP of only 3, meaning it has a very low climate impact.
By contrast, the four refrigerants containing PFAS—R410A, R407C, R452B, and R134a—all have very high climate impacts, with GWP values of up to 2,088.
Lower climate impact
Upcoming regulations require refrigerants to have a GWP below 150.
As a result, PFAS refrigerants are generally being phased out and replaced with new alternatives.
These rules apply to many new heat pumps from January 1, 2027. However, it is important to note that the regulations apply only to newly manufactured products. Suppliers may continue selling older units already in stock.
The SparEnergi heat pump list does not include PFAS information
The Danish Energy Agency provides a heat pump database on SparEnergi.dk featuring a wide selection of heat pumps available on the Danish market, helping consumers identify energy-efficient models.
However, the database does not indicate whether a refrigerant contains PFAS. For that reason, it is a good idea to compare our assessment with the SparEnergi database to obtain all the information you need before choosing the right heat pump for your home.
We therefore asked the Danish Energy Agency whether refrigerant information could be highlighted on the website. The agency explained that the heat pump database is administered by the Danish Technological Institute.
Claus Schøn Poulsen, Director at the Danish Technological Institute, commented:
"PFAS is certainly a relevant topic, and we would be happy to bring this request forward. We are already in dialogue with the industry about revised admission criteria, and PFAS is an obvious topic to include in those discussions."