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This is just beyond outrageous! Is there any way we can stop this?!!
In the mean time, I am stocking up!
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MACS Worldwide Petitions EPA To Fully
Enforce Clean Air Act and HFC-134a Emissions Ban
Lansdale, PA — The Mobile Air Conditioning Society (MACS) Worldwide has sent a letter and accompanying report to Christine Todd Whitman, Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, requesting full enforcement of the 1990 Clean Air Act by restricting the sale of HFC-134a (Hydroflourocarbon) refrigerant to certified technicians. HFC-134a is the refrigerant used to provide cooling in automotive air conditioning systems. Although the EPA proposed restricting the sale of HFC-134a to certified technicians, sale of the refrigerant to the general public, including small cans continues to be allowed. The release of HFC-134a refrigerant to the atmosphere during service of a mobile A/C system is illegal and detrimental to the environment. With the availability of R134a to the general public, there has been minimal enforcement related to the venting of refrigerant by consumers who service their own automotive system or unprofessional service personnel who do not have the federally mandated refrigerant recovery equipment.
BACKGROUND
Mobile A/C systems have been identified as a source of emissions to the environment, both from the energy used to run the system and the release of the system's refrigerant. The Clean Air Act of 1990 brought new regulations to the automotive A/C service industry including a requirement that all automotive technicians who service A/C systems be certified in refrigerant recovery and recycling and service facilities must purchase and utilize additional recovery and recycling equipment for service of HFC-134a systems. These same requirements were not enforced on the consumer market. HFC-134a is packaged in 12 oz. cans and larger containers and is available for purchase by the general public. MACS' has concluded that proper refrigerant recovery and repair of leaking systems is not being fully addressed in the do-it-yourself market and non-professional service operations. Since some refrigerant remains in each small can without recovery equipment the remaining refrigerant is released into the atmosphere. It is both mathematically and physically impossible to obtain correct system charge with 12-ounce cans of refrigerant. Therefore using small cans containing a fixed amount of refrigerant results in undercharging or overcharging and can lead to both operating problems, system damage and ultimately costly consumer repairs.
ACTION REQUESTED OF THE EPA
MACS respectfully requests that the EPA:
1. Revisit the proposed section of the Clean Air Act allowing only certified technicians to purchase and use HFC-134a refrigerant as required by federal law for all other refrigerants used in the auto service industry and residential and commercial building refrigeration industries.
2. Ban the small can (less than 30 pounds) of HFC-134a due to its inherently emissive nature.
MACS believes these actions:
Benefit the environment.
Benefit he consumer.
Generally follows the precedent set by the EPA in the Clean Air Act.
Is in accord with President Bush's National Climate Change Initiative.
posted by 66.152.24...
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