A coalition of 17 environmental groups urges the EPA to reject Chemours’ Opteon 2P50, a two-phase cooling agent for datacenters, citing toxicity and climate risks and alleging flaws in Chemours’ application.

Chemours argues the system is a closed loop with minimal emissions, but critics say fugitive emissions and end-of-life disposal remain serious concerns.

The dispute could trigger Earthjustice-backed legal action if the EPA shortcuts review, highlighting tension between regulatory risk assessment and calls for swifter approvals.

Earthjustice leads the comments, insisting the EPA must address health risks in line with statutory requirements, even amid executive orders prioritizing datacenter chemicals.

The environmental groups connect Opteon 2P50 to broader PFAS concerns, including existing drinking-water contamination and potential expansion to other uses if approved.

They warn that approving Opteon 2P50 could violate the law and worsen pollution around facilities due to PFAS persistence and health impacts.

Approval could set a precedent for wider PFAS deployment in industry and consumer products, prompting further regulatory and health questions.

Datacenters’ high water use for cooling is linked to two-phase cooling with PFAS gas, raising fears about emissions, leaks, and end-of-life disposal.

Critics point to perceived flaws in Chemours’ data, including reliance on a less PFAS-sensitive rat model, missing toxicology data, and use of an industry-linked committee for exposure limits.

Opteon 2P50 is viewed as potentially more toxic and climate-riskier than claimed, with fast-track approval under a Trump-era order seen as legally dubious by advocates.