United States. The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) recently announced its proposal to allow sales of HFC refrigerant to the general public.
Despite laws to restrict refrigerant sales only to properly trained, certified individuals, the U.S. is seeking to allow the sale of air conditioning and HVAC refrigerants to the public.
The EPA estimates that about 14 million cans of refrigerant air conditioner are sold each year to the public through the car aftermarket. Pretty much everything is R134a, which is sold in cans up to 2 pounds in size, and worth about $40/kg.
Critics point out that up to 12,000 tons of R134a are sold this way in the U.S. each year, or about 18 million tons of CO2e/year. Many see the EPA's proposals as a way to protect the aftermarket and car coolant.
However, the EPA describes the proposed waiver as "a less burdensome option." He argues that if it were to extend the restriction on sales of small cans, people who normally service their own vehicular air conditioner would have to seek certification under section 609 or take their car to a technician to be repaired.
The Auto Care Association and the Automotive Refrigeration Products Institute, two associations that represent the majority of small can manufacturers in the United States, suggest that the EPA consider insisting that manufacturers install self-sealed valves in small cans. These valves, the EPA argues, reduce the release of refrigerant during service and can also reduce can leaks after service has been completed.
However, the EPA does not go so far as to propose a refundable deposit of the cans as is the case in both California and the United Kingdom. EPA estimates that a nationwide requirement to use automatic shut-off valves on all small cans will reduce emissions by more than 657,000 tons of CO2eq/year.
