Pet Safety / Compounds / R-143a (1,1,1-Trifluoroethane / HFC-143a)

Is R-143a (1,1,1-Trifluoroethane / HFC-143a) safe for dogs and cats?

Low risk for pets

Low direct toxicity.

What is r-143a (1,1,1-trifluoroethane / hfc-143a)?

Also known as: 405-82-3, 4-Dimethylamino-4'-trifluoromethylazobenzene, N,N-Dimethyl-4-[4-(Trifluoromethyl)Phenyl]Diazenylaniline, Benzenamine, N,N-dimethyl-4-[2-[4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]diazenyl]-.

CAS number
420-46-2
Molecular formula
C2H3F3
Molecular weight
84.04 g/mol
SMILES
CN(C)C1=CC=C(C=C1)N=NC2=CC=C(C=C2)C(F)(F)F
PubChem CID
9838

Risk for dogs

Low risk

Low direct toxicity.

Risk for cats

Low risk

Low direct toxicity.

Regulatory consensus

4 regulatory and scientific bodies have classified R-143a (1,1,1-Trifluoroethane / HFC-143a). The classifications differ — that's the data.

AgencyYearClassificationNotes
KIGALI AMENDMENT—Subject to HFC phase-down
EU F GAS—R-404A/R-507A (containing R-143a) banned in new commercial refrigeration since Jan 2020 (GWP>2500) and in all new equipment since 2022 (GWP>150)
EPA AIM—Subject to AIM Act phase-down. R-404A delisted by SNAP for retail food refrigeration
ASHRAE 34—A2L (pure), A1 (in blends)

Regulators apply different standards of evidence — animal-data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds — which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. The disagreement is the data.

Where pets encounter r-143a (1,1,1-trifluoroethane / hfc-143a)

  • Commercial Refrigeration — Supermarket refrigeration as component of R-404A (52%) and R-507A (50%)
  • Transport Refrigeration — Refrigerated trucks, trailers, and shipping containers
  • Cold Storage — Industrial cold storage and freezer warehouses
  • Ice Rinks — Ice rink refrigeration systems

Safer alternatives

Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to R-143a (1,1,1-Trifluoroethane / HFC-143a):

  • R-448A (Solstice N40)
    Trade-offs: Removes 95-99% of dissolved contaminants including metals, PFAS, nitrates; wastes 2-4 gallons per gallon produced (improving with newer systems); removes beneficial minerals; $0.05-0.25/gallon; requires pre-treatment for longevity.
    Relative cost: 1.2-2×
  • R-449A (Opteon XP40)
    Trade-offs: Removes 95-99% of dissolved contaminants including metals, PFAS, nitrates; wastes 2-4 gallons per gallon produced (improving with newer systems); removes beneficial minerals; $0.05-0.25/gallon; requires pre-treatment for longevity.
    Relative cost: 1.2-2×
  • R-744 (CO2)
    Trade-offs: Removes 95-99% of dissolved contaminants including metals, PFAS, nitrates; wastes 2-4 gallons per gallon produced (improving with newer systems); removes beneficial minerals; $0.05-0.25/gallon; requires pre-treatment for longevity.
    Relative cost: 1.2-2×
  • R-290 (Propane)
    Trade-offs: Removes 95-99% of dissolved contaminants including metals, PFAS, nitrates; wastes 2-4 gallons per gallon produced (improving with newer systems); removes beneficial minerals; $0.05-0.25/gallon; requires pre-treatment for longevity.
    Relative cost: 1.2-2×

Frequently asked questions

Is r-143a (1,1,1-trifluoroethane / hfc-143a) safe for pets?

Low direct toxicity.

What products contain r-143a (1,1,1-trifluoroethane / hfc-143a)?

R-143a (1,1,1-Trifluoroethane / HFC-143a) appears in: Supermarket refrigeration as component of R-404A (52%) and R-507A (50%) (Commercial Refrigeration); Refrigerated trucks, trailers, and shipping containers (Transport Refrigeration); Industrial cold storage and freezer warehouses (Cold Storage).

Why do regulators disagree about r-143a (1,1,1-trifluoroethane / hfc-143a)?

R-143a (1,1,1-Trifluoroethane / HFC-143a) has been classified by 4 agencies including KIGALI AMENDMENT, EU F GAS, EPA AIM, ASHRAE 34, with differing conclusions. Regulators apply different standards of evidence (animal data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds), which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. See the regulatory consensus table on this page for the full picture.

See R-143a (1,1,1-Trifluoroethane / HFC-143a) in the pets app

Look up products containing r-143a (1,1,1-trifluoroethane / hfc-143a), compare to alternatives, and explore the full data record.

Open in pets View raw API data

Sources (1)
  1. — expert_curation

Reference data, not professional advice. Aggregates publicly available regulatory and scientific data; not a substitute for veterinary, medical, legal, or regulatory advice. Why we built ALETHEIA →