R134a is not an ozone-destroying agent, but it is a greenhouse gas, and is illegal to vent as well.
R134A is contained within a pressurized piping system and is safe to work around. However, like any pressurized chemical, caution should be taken if the system fails and releases refrigerant into a workspace. If the cooling system were to leak R134A, the primary concern will be to the equipment.
The penalties for any violations of the Clean Air Act include: Civil fines of up to $44,539 per day per violation (as of 2017) Criminal prosecution in US Federal Court (5 years, or double if it's a second offense) Confiscation of violating substances (refrigerants)
Under Section 608 of the Clean Air Act, EPA prohibits individuals from knowingly venting refrigerants containing ozone-depleting refrigerants (including HCFC-22) as well as their substitutes (such as HFCs, including R-410A), while maintaining, servicing, repairing, or disposing of AC and refrigeration equipment.
The restriction of HFC-134a will occur under a broader prohibition of any substances with a Global Warming Potential (GWP) higher than 150 in the MVAC sector. HFC-134a will no longer be allowed in nonroad vehicles as of January 1, 2028.
Prohibitions in place in California, Colorado, New Jersey, Vermont, and Washington. Prohibitions proposed in Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Washington, Vermont, and Virginia. See bans by region for details.
R134a is not an ozone-destroying agent, but it is a greenhouse gas, and is illegal to vent as well.
Enforcement actions range from civil fines to criminal prosecutions. Enforcement is performed within EPA by the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. If you suspect or witness unlawful releases of ODS refrigerant or other violations of CAA regulations, report an environmental violation to EPA.
Violating the Clean Air Act (CAA) can result in a fine to the employee and employer of up to $27,500.00 per day per violation. Reporting a violation resulting in a fine can earn a reward of up to $10,000.00.
R22 (also known as HCFC-22) is a chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) once widely used as a refrigerant. If your home or office AC is over 10 years old, it's probably using R22 freon. However, R22 Freon is banned in the U.S. today.
If refrigerant is released because your equipment does not have low loss fittings, this is illegal venting. In addition, you must also evacuate refrigerant to a required evacuation level while servicing equipment that contains the affected refrigerants.
Even federal penalties vary significantly among regions. In the South (EPA Region 6) the median Clean Water Act penalty issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regional office is $10,000, while in EPA Region 9 (including California, Nevada, Arizona and Hawaii), the median is over six times as high.
The bill was then signed into law by California Governor Gavin Newsom in October 2022. As part of the bill, the sale of R-410a will be banned starting on January 1, 2030.
In general, if the refrigerant is not contaminated it can be recycled and reused. You can typically take the non contaminated refrigerant back to the wholesaler for exchange. If the refrigerant is contaminated, you'll need to send it to a reclamation facility.
R-134a (Tetrafluoroethene or HFC-134a): R-134a and HFC is a hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerant with no ozone depletion potential. It has an atmospheric lifetime of approximately 13-14 years. None of these refrigerants have atmospheric lifetimes of 100 years.
A High-Performing Alternative to R-134a
Opteon™ XL10 (R-1234yf) refrigerant is a non-ozone depleting (ODP) hydrofluoroolefin (HFO) option that meets the industry's growing demands for sustainable, safe, and effective solutions.
There is no way to sugarcoat this. The fine can be as high as $37,500 per day. If a technician topped off the refrigerant and they did not repair the leak, they can lose their EPA certification and be fined as well. That can have a pretty big impact on everyone involved.
If you are seeing an environmental event that may lead to an immediate threat to human health or the environment, call 911, then report it to the National Response Center at: 1-800-424-8802.
Environmental Whistleblowers
However, whistleblowers can be eligible for financial rewards in a number of different ways, including when they report: Misrepresentations about the amount of oil, gas, or other natural resources extracted from public lands in order to fraudulently underpay royalties to the government.
R-134a is an HFC refrigerant and cannot be vented under the Venting Prohibition because it is a non-exempt substitute of CFCs and HCFCs. Question #8 Nitrogen can be used to pressurize or blow debris out of a system containing a half charge of refrigerant.
Illegal to Remove at Home
Freon is highly dangerous and regulated by the EPA. It is illegal to remove freon from an appliance unless you are a Section 608 certified professional.
The Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") may pay up to a $10,000 reward to an individual reporting violations of the Clean Air Act which result in successful conviction of violators of the Act. There are 3 problems that are immediately apparent. 1.
EPA regulations (40 CFR Part 82, Subpart F ) under Section 608 of the Clean Air Act prohibit individuals from intentionally venting ozone-depleting substances (ODS) or their substitutes while maintaining, servicing, repairing, or disposing of air-conditioning or refrigeration equipment.
The AIM Act is a Federal nationwide rule phasing out the use of global warming materials. As part of that effort, EPA is now banning the use of 134a in aerosol products as of 1/1/2025. There are excepted products that are allowed to use 134a until 1/1/2028.
Venting an 'exempt refrigerant' is legal because these substances, such as hydrocarbons, do not deplete the ozone layer and have lower global warming potential. Regulations focus on preventing the release of substances that significantly harm the ozone layer or contribute deeply to climate change.