Bacground of CFC to HFC Conversion
Please send comments, corrections and additions to:
PParish@delanet.com
Bottom of Page
- THE CHALLENGE
-
The automobile industry is at the threshold of being forced to perform
retrofits on a major scale.
There are about 140 million vehicles on the road today.
Of those cars about one half have a potential for retrofit.
At an average cost of $250.00 per vehicle, that works out to 17.5 billion
dollars to be spent.
This site is intended to provide automotive air conditioning shops a place
to exchange information on the retrofitting procedures and troubles
encountered.
- OZONE DEPLETION - ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION - CFCs
-
In the 1970's scientists expressed concern that the ozone layer was being
destroyed by CFC's (Chloroflourocarbons) released into the atmosphere.
They theorize that CFC's migrate up to the upper atmosphere where
ultraviolet rays cause chlorine to be released.
Then chlorine repeatedly combines with ozone molecules breaking them down.
The ozone layer is located 10 to 30 miles above the earth's surface.
It protects us by absorbing some of the ultraviolet rays from the sun.
Ultraviolet rays are harmful to all living organisms.
Among the problems it can cause are skin cancer, cataracts, and damage to
the immune system.
One of the major ozone depleting substances is refrigerant R12 (CFC-12).
By the mid 1980's scientists confirmed their suspicions about the
depletion of the ozone layer by discovering a hole in the ozone layer.
- MONTREAL PROTOCOL
-
In September, of 1987 the United States and 22 other countries meet in
Montreal, Canada and signed an agreement (Montreal Protocol) to limit
the production of CFC's.
Some scientists disagree with all of these findings.
The bottom line is we must follow the laws as they are passed.
- LAWS - RULES - REGULATIONS
-
Due to concern of the ozone layer the United States Congress passed the
Federal Clean Air Act of 1990.
It includes requirements that are consistent with, but in some cases
more stringent than the revised Montreal Protocol.
Title VI of the Clean Air Act directs the Environmental Protection Agency
to create programs to protect the stratospheric ozone layer.
Section 609 of the Clean Air Act concerns motor vehicle air conditioners.
- For in depth information , please contact the EPA:
-
- Mailing Address:
-
US Environmental Protection Agency
401 M Street, S.W.
Washington, DC 20460
- Links to the EPA Web Site
- Ozone Protection Hot Line:
- 1-800-296-1996
- EPA World Wide Web Site URL:
- EPA RULES & REGULATIONS
- The overall point of the rules and regulations is to keep refrigerants
from being released into the atmosphere.
The main points of the EPA rules and regulations:
- The rules establishes standards and requirements for servicing
of motor vehicle air conditioners.
- Effective January 1, 1992 any paid mechanic servicing or repairing a
motor vehicle air conditioner must properly use approved recycling
equipment and be certified.
There is a clause that exempts shops doing less than 100 A/C jobs per
year from mandatory use of recovery equipment.
- Tanks used to recovery refrigerant must be DOT approved.
- Service hoses must have shutoff devices within 12 inches of the end
connected to the vehicle.
This is to minimize introduction of noncondensable gases into the
recovery equipment and the release of the refrigerant when
disconnecting.
- Effective November 15, 1992, the sale of R12 in small cans is limited
to persons with a certification.
This prohibits the sale of R12 to the do-it-you-selfers.
Also effective this date the EPA requires that R134a must be
recovered and recycled.
- The developement of rules and standards for recovery and recycle
equipment is a on going process.
See the latest information at the EPA web site:
Information on Retrofitting
- For lists and links to other sources of information on retrofitting.
- For Information on Refrigerants
- For information on R12, and R134a.
- Links to the EPA Web Site
- The EPA web site is a great source of information.
- Background Information
- EPA Rules and Regulations
- Glossary of terms used in rules and regulations.
- EPA Choosing & Using Alternative Refrigerants
- EPA Alternative Refrigerant Q&A Sheet
- EPA Retrofit Guide
- Recovery and Recycle Equipment Standards
| Return to E38.org
| Retrofit Index Page|
TOP Of Page