Protecting the Environment is of paramount importance. Various agreements have been reached, for example the Montreal Protocol, Kyoto and the latest agreement on climate change signed in Bali. All have been drawn up to limit the harmful effects of Global Warming.
Refrigerant Gases are harmful to the environment, one being ODP (Ozone Depleting Products) and GWP (Global Warming Potential). The earlier refrigerant gas used in Motor Vehicles (and fridge/freezers) was called R12, this had significant Ozone Depleting Properties, so this was phased out about 1993-1995 and its production was banned in 2000.
Its successor HFC134a was used in vehicles from about 1995 on. Although its ODP was zero its Global warming potential still remained high, actually about 1300 times more GWP than CO2 (carbon Dioxide). So lets put this into context the average car if it loses its refrigerant gas will put into the atmosphere the equivalent of a 1000 Kg of Carbon Dioxide GWP thats 1 Tonne !!! That's one hell of a Carbon Footprint. !!
Vehicle Air Conditioning now come under the EC F Gas Regulation
The above regulation requires
Recovery - Refrigerant recovery during vehicle maintenance and at end of vehicle life
Training - Use of personnel with prescribed minimum qualifications
The EC MAC (Mobile Air Conditioning) Directive
Sources of F Gas Emissions
Gradual leakage during normal operation - resulting in poor cooling performance
Catastrophic leakage during a accident - If a car undergoes a major front end collision
