EPA has banned R134A Freon

WWDiesel · **Posted:** Wed Jul 13, 2022 2:07 am

Just a heads up if you have not already heard. EPA has banned the use of R134A in new vehicles. :banghead:

The freon is going to get harder and more expensive to obtain going forward.
I believe the total outright ban starts in 2024?

So, you may want to stock up on some R134A while it is still available.
A 30lb tank of R134A is around $350-400 dollars right now

Quote:

From another forum:
WA State has started enforcing the ban on 134a apparently as of this year, before the EPA fully mandates the ban in 2023/2024 (?). Not sure if this applies to all states or not?
Means that we can't go out and buy 134a. Seems like the new rules require a license to be able to obtain R134a.
Obviously this is a huge headache for those of us that do our own AC work.

EPA wrote:

Refrigerant Sales Restriction
The sales restriction is established by EPA regulations (40 CFR Part 82, Subpart FEXITEXIT EPA WEBSITE) under Section 608 of the Clean Air Act. Only EPA-certified technicians are allowed to purchase ozone-depleting substances (ODS) or non-ozone depleting substitutes used as refrigerants, with limited exceptions. Refrigerant can only be sold to technicians certified under the Section 608 or Section 609 technician certification programs, where individuals may only purchase refrigerant consistent with the appliances covered by their certification.

TURBO-DIESEL-FREAK · **Joined:** Sat Apr 17, 2010 3:29 pm **Posts:** 1167

This is a sad day as it clearly appears to me that the manufacturers are colluding with the EPA again to make our vehicles obsolete.

This is another example of making ownership so difficult that the owner has to sell his vehicle off and get a new one... Are there any states or provinces that recognize this garbage for what it really is and will refuse to enforce these new regulations and/or enact right to repair legislation?

Some feedback here from other LOSTJEEPS members would really be welcome.

WWDiesel · **Posted:** Thu Jul 14, 2022 1:12 am

They will end up pricing the freon to make it so expensive like they did with R12 that no one will want to buy it.
Price alone will dry up the market.
Stock up now while it is still affordable. I am going to purchase a 30 lb cylinder of R134A; it should last me the rest of all of my vehicles lifes.

Steve777 · **Joined:** Fri Oct 16, 2015 11:31 pm **Posts:** 279

Thanks for the heads up WW. I will be stocking up on some...

Gee you think maybe the US could go to propane/butane refrigerant, like much of the rest of the world? I know, the PTB are too worried about 10oz of propane burning in a crash, but data from Mexico and other places that use these refrigerants in vehicles don't show substantially higher rates of crash fires than here. The real problem is Dow doesn't have a patent on propane...

dimedriver · **Posted:** Wed Jul 20, 2022 1:11 pm

Many of the new refrigerants are propane based. Both in cars and home appliances. I have several freezers with propane.

Some of these refrigerant don't have scent added. I would feel a little safer if they had the normal scent for propane added so you could smell a leak.

user113 · **Posted:** Wed Jul 20, 2022 9:52 pm

dimedriver wrote:

Many of the new refrigerants are propane based. Both in cars and home appliances. I have several freezers with propane.

Some of these refrigerant don't have scent added. I would feel a little safer if they had the normal scent for propane added so you could smell a leak.

That requires too much common sense from our unelected government overlords.

EPA has banned R134A Freon

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