THE GOODS : Freon Use Will Be Cut Off
Question: I need to get my air conditioner fixed. My mechanic handed me a $400estimate to fix a leak in the Freon system. I told him to forget fixing it and just to fill it up, but he claimed it was against the law. J.P., Los Angeles.
Answer: The mechanic is giving it to you straight. Since 1992, the South Coast Air Quality Management District has had a rule that forbids repair shops in the Los Angeles basin to add R-12 refrigerant (Freon) to a leaking air-conditioning system.
The agency has much tougher rules than the federal government regarding R-12, a type of fluorocarbon that damages the Earth’s ozone lawyer.
Under federal rules, producers of R-12 must cease all production by the end of this year, though the industry can continue to sell inventories of R-12 until they are depleted. No imports are allowed; the rules have created a remarkable contraband trade.
Federal prosecutors have filed several indictments for illegal importation and as evasion of excise taxes, according to Steven Arkow, an assistant U.S. attorney in Los Angeles.
Motorists face some serious problems as a result of illegal imports, says Frank Allison, executive director of the International Mobile Air Conditioning Assn., a trade group. Much of the illegally imported R-12 is contaminated and can damage air-conditioning systems.
In addition, flammable gas that has been banned in the United States by the Environmental Protection Agency has been substituted for R-12. Information on banned R-12 substitutes can be obtained by calling the EPA hot line at (800) 296-1996.
Since 1992, car manufacturers have turned to an authorized substitute for R-12, known as R-134A, which does not damage the ozone layer. But you cannot use R-134A in a system designed for R-12 without modifications.
Allison said existing stocks of R-12 should last for at least two years after production is stopped later this year.
If you decide to fix the leaks in your system, be sure to find a competent air-conditioning shop. It will need electronic leak-detection equipment capable of identifying leaks of as little as one-half ounce per year. Such equipment costs $1,800 to $4,000, so not every corner gas station has the machinery to do the job.
