California Consumers Win as Air Board Votes to Keep R134a Automotive Refrigerant on Shelves.

"Industry Applauds Air Resources Board Vote on Alternative Regulation that Keeps R134a Available to Californians while Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions"

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Consumers and auto enthusiasts across the state claimed victory today as the California Air Resources Board (CARB) voted in favor of adopting an alternative regulation that would keep automotive refrigerant - R134a - available to Californians to recharge and service their vehicle's air conditioning system , while at the same time reducing greenhouse gas emissions by nearly half a million metric tons.

The alternative regulation, proposed by the Automotive Refrigerant Products Institute (ARPI), and supported by the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA) and the California Automotive Wholesalers' Association (CAWA) would allow R134a to continue to be sold in California and will require a self sealing can top; enhanced can labeling; a used can deposit and return program; and a consumer education campaign.

"What began more than two-years ago as an effort to restrict sales and Do-It-Yourself use of the refrigerant R-134a, has resulted in CARB working with the leading companies and automotive aftermarket trade associations to craft a new four-tiered "hybrid" mitigation plan that will allow the continued sale of refrigerants in the California market while ensuring proper handling and disposal," stated Tom Brown, President of ARPI.

The Automotive Refrigerant Products Institute (ARPI), representing leading refrigerant packagers like Interdynamics, Technical Chemical Corporation and EF Products (Quest brand) as well as the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA) and the California Automotive Wholesalers' Association (CAWA) have worked hard over a two-year period to craft a plan that replaces the originally conceived ban on the product.

"In an unprecedented collaborative effort with the automotive industry, CARB has shown great leadership and cooperation as we worked on a compromise solution. This hard work by CARB and industry will ultimately benefit the thousands of California consumers, especially those low and fixed-income families, who purchase R134a to cool their automobiles while limiting future emissions of refrigerant," stated Aaron Lowe, Vice President, Government Affairs, AAIA.

These first AB 32 regulations will preserve the rights of both those who would or must work on their own vehicles to use, and retailers to sell these specialty products, often packaged with significant "value-added" enhancements like system lubricants, leak-stoppers, charging devices and pressure gauges. Additionally, the Environmental Justice Advisory Committee found the impact of a ban would be disproportionately on lower and fixed income Californians, including communities of color and as a result have supported the alternative proposal.

"These new measures represent a big change in the way auto parts stores, mass merchandisers and manufacturers will do business in California beginning in 2010," stated Rodney K. Pierini, President & CEO, CAWA. "They also will represent an opportunity for improvement in how DIY customers actually carry out the servicing of their vehicle air conditioners. ARPI, AAIA, and CAWA applaud CARB for their decision and all believe that, in the end, there will be measurable environmental benefits from this important program."

This effort follows on a previous orderly transition from R-121[1], the earlier MVAC refrigerant, in widespread use until it was found to be an ozone depleting substance. While the replacement refrigerant (R-134a2[2]) is not an ozone depleting substance, it is a high "global warming potential" (GWP) gas with a GWP of 1300 (where CO2 has a GWP of 1). Industry led the transition then and is on the eve of a new transition as lower GWP refrigerants are prepared for market. Until that time, industry is committed to the four tiered program voted on by CARB.

1 ([1]) Dichlorodifluoromethane (R-12), usually sold under the brand name Freon-12, is a chlorofluorocarbon halomethane, commonly known as CFC, used as a refrigerant and aerosol spray propellant. Its manufacture was banned in the United States and many countries in 1994 due to concerns about damage to the ozone layer. Molecular formula: CCl2F2

2 ([2]) 1,1,1,2-Tetrafluoroethane, also called simply tetrafluoroethane, R-134a, Genetron 134a, Suva 134a or HFC-134a, is a haloalkane refrigerant with thermodynamic properties similar to R-12 (dichlorodifluoromethane), but without its ozone depletion potential. It has the formula CH2FCF3.