International. Honeywell expressed surprise after hearing the news of Daimler's refusal to use the new HFO R1234yf refrigerant in its new cars and tractors (ver noticia).
Until today, despite some opposition in Germany and environmental groups, the R1234yf had come to be universally accepted as the best solution for the replacement of R134a in car air conditioning systems.
A Honeywell spokesperson commented that "we were surprised to learn of the Mercedes-Benz test, and we are concerned that they drew conclusions about the relevance of the findings without having any knowledge about how the tests were conducted and what conditions were represented."
Honeywell agreed to meet with Daimler to understand the studies conducted on the refrigerant, but says it has been extensively tested by the global association of automotive engineers around the world and several independent institutes, and that these tests have shown that it is safe.
In Germany there is some opposition on this issue, where many car manufacturers initially investigated the use of CO2 as the replacement for R134a. Environmental groups have argued against the adoption of R1234yf on the basis of its flammability and potential to produce hydrogen fluoride gas from combustion. Tests carried out by industrial groups and other test houses, however, have always confirmed its safety.
