How is that a de facto ban, you can't trademark the common names of plenty of substances ubiquitous in daily life. The manufacturers of refrigerants don't seem like they could completely dictate what appliance manufacturers choose to use in their products.
It seems for refrigerators there are actually specific carve outs in EPA venting regulations to allow R-290 (propane) along with a couple others.
If vendors don't use it, possibly due to flammability, whether a real risk or as imagined by consumers that's a completely different situation. I can't find anything claiming it's banned or even discouraged by the government.
It seems for refrigerators there are actually specific carve outs in EPA venting regulations to allow R-290 (propane) along with a couple others.
https://www.epa.gov/snap/substitutes-household-refrigerators...
If vendors don't use it, possibly due to flammability, whether a real risk or as imagined by consumers that's a completely different situation. I can't find anything claiming it's banned or even discouraged by the government.