United States
Environmental
Agency
Protection
EPA/400/F-92/002
April 1992
6ERA Help Protect
The Ozone
Layer
Recycle The
Refrigerant
In Your Car's
Air Conditioner
Recycled/Recyclable
Printed on paper that contains
al least 50% recycled fiber
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Q Seek Professional Service
Q Insist on Recycling or Recovery
Q Repair -- Don't Just Refill
Service shops are now required by law to recycle
refrigerant. You can help save the ozone layer by getting
professional vehicle service at a shop that uses recycling
equipment. Please do not ask your mechanic to refill a
leaking system. Merely refilling a leaking system is an
unnecessary waste of refrigerant. Repair of your leaking
vehicle air conditioner conserves CFCs, helps reduce the
depletion of the ozone layer and protects the environment for
our children.
Our Threatened Ozone Layer
The stratospheric ozone layer shields the earth from
harmful ultraviolet radiation. Certain man-made chemicals
are destroying stratospheric ozone. This loss of ozone in the
upper atmosphere may lead to an increase in skin cancer and
cataracts and could damage the human immune system. It
could also reduce crop yields and harm plant and animal life.
Impact of Air Conditioners
Scientists worldwide have concluded that chemicals
called chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) deplete ozone in the
stratosphere. CFCs are used in the manufacturing of many
products, such as foam insulation, electronics equipment, and
refrigerators. One of the single largest uses of CFCs in the
United States is as a refrigerant in automobile air condition-
ers. Once released, the CFC refrigerant stays in the atmo-
sphere for over 120 years.
CFCs are commonly released into the air when car
or truck air conditioners are serviced. When CFCs reach the
stratosphere, the molecules break apart This process
releases chlorine, which attacks the ozone layer. A single
chlorine atom can destroy over 10,000 ozone molecules.
Protecting the Ozone Layer
Much of the ozone damage caused by mobile air-
conditioner refrigerants can be prevented if service shops
recycle the refrigerant instead of releasing it into the air.
Mechanics can use a machine to pull the refrigerant from the
air conditioner into a holding tank and filter it. Refrigerant
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properly treated in this way is clean enough for reuse in
automobile air conditioners. Under Section 609 of the 1990
Clean Air Act, motor vehicle air conditioning repair shops
can not release refrigerant to the atmosphere.
Ask your service shop operator to show you the seal of
approval on the recycling machine. Certification by a
qualified testing laboratory, like Underwriters Laboratories
(UL), means the recycled refrigerant placed back in your car
or truck from a properly maintained and operated recycling
machine meets industry standards. These standards resulted
from strict tests performed by the automotive industry and
the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Refrigerant
recycled by approved machines does not affect your new car
warranty.
How Changes Affect You
The United States and 75 other countries have
already agreed to halt production of ozone-depleting chemi-
cals by 2000, and an earlier phase-out is likely. The 1990
Amendments to the Clean Air Act will also ban non-essential
uses, mandate recycling, label products made with or
containing ozone-depleting compounds, and evaluate the
safety of new alternatives. It is also likely that prices of
refrigerants or alternative refrigerants will increase.
Recycling of CFC used in motor vehicle air condition-
ing is required after January 1,1992 (for shops servicing
fewer than 100 vehicles, January 1,1993). Recycling
equipment and operators must be certified. After November
15,1992 only certified mechanics will be allowed to pur-
chase small cans of CFC. Recycling requires special
equipment and may take a little extra time, so some costs of
servicing car or truck air conditioners may rise. But by
recycling, you will need less new CFC, so replacement
refrigerant costs will be reduced while you are helping to
protect our environment. The overall cost of servicing your
car will depend on local circumstances.
You may be one of those people who has saved money
by "doing it yourself - working on your own car or truck to
replenish the refrigerant that leaks out of the air conditioner.
One other benefit of professional service is that you will
avoid improperly charging your system. Lack of proper
service can result in poor cooling and can damage your car or
truck air conditioning system. In the long run, recycling may
save you money by helping you avoid costly repairs.
Cover Photo Copyright. Les Moore, UNIPHOTO.
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Support for Recycling
These groups endorse CFC recycling in mobile air
conditioners:
Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Association (MVMA)
Members: Chrysler Corporation; Ford Motor Company; General
Motors Corporation; Honda of America Mfg., Inc.; Navistar
International Transportation Corp.; Paccar Inc.; Volvo North
America Corporation
Automobile Importers Association (AIA)
Members: BMW of North America, Inc.;
American Honda Motor Company, Inc.;
Hyundai Motor America, Inc.; Isuzu Motors of
America, Inc.; Jaguar Cars, Inc.; Maserati
Automobiles, Inc.; Mazda Motors of America, Inc.;
Mitsubishi Motor America, Inc.; Nissan Motor
Corporation U.S.A.; Peugeot Motors of America, Inc.;
Porsche Cars North America, Inc.; Rolls-Royce
Motor Cars, Inc.; Rover Group USA, Inc.;
Saab-Scania of America, Inc.; Subaru of America, Inc.;
American Suzuki Motor Corporation; Toyota Motor
Sales U.S.A., Inc.; Volkswagen of North America, Inc.;
Volvo North America Corporation
Other Automobile Manufacturers
Alfa Romeo Distributors of North America;
Aston Martin Lagonda Limited; Audi of America, Inc.;
Austin Rover, Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd.; Excalibur
Automobile Corporation; Freightliner Corporation;
Grumman Olson; Mazda Motor Corporation;
Mercedes-Benz of North America, Inc.; Yugo
America, Inc.
American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and
Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)
Automotive Refrigeration Products Institute
Automotive Service Association (ASA)
Environmental Defense Fund (EDF)
Friends of the Earth (FOE)
International Mobile Air Conditioning Association (IMACA)
Mobile Air Conditioning Society (MACS)
National Institute of Automotive Service Excellence (ASE)
Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)
Society of Automotive Engineers (S AE)
Underwriters Laboratories (UL)
This leaflet was developed by the U.S. EPA and reprinted
courtesy of:
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