The Obama administration is preparing to introduce major steps to phase out production of a popular chemical coolant used in refrigerators and air conditioners, citing growing evidence that the substance is contributing to the warming of the planet.
The White House will announce on Tuesday a series of voluntary commitments by some of the country’s largest chemical firms and retailers to move rapidly away from R-134a and similar compounds used in nearly every office, home and automobile in the country, according to current and former U.S. officials familiar with the effort.
The administration is simultaneously stepping up diplomatic efforts to encourage major U.S. trading partners to phase out production of the potent greenhouse gas, the officials said. The initiatives are being disclosed in advance of next week’s summit of world leaders at the United Nations to debate options for slowing the buildup of heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere.
Read more:
www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/obama-targets-a-popular-coolant-in-new-effort-to-curb-greenhouse-gases/2014/09/15/cd24c738-3d18-11e4-9587-5dafd96295f0_story.html
From the WaPo link above- looks like India is giving this idea the middle finger…
“The White House also has been lobbying other manufacturers of HFCs in the developing world, particularly India, whose newly elected prime minister, Narendra Modi, is expected to visit Washington for official talks later this month. The Indian government in the past ruled out curbs on its domestic production of HFCs, saying it lacks an alternative. “We are saying we don’t have any alternative technology,” Sushil Kumar, a senior Indian environmental official, told reporters last fall.”
www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/obama-targets-a-popular-coolant-in-new-effort-to-curb-greenhouse-gases/2014/09/15/cd24c738-3d18-11e4-9587-5dafd96295f0_story.html
The replacement, HFO1234yf, is 10 TIMES MORE EXPENSIVE.
macsworldwide.wordpress.com/2011/05/27/10-questions-and-answers-about-hfo-1234yf/
snark
If you’re worried about this, you need to consider a methane capture system for your own farts, because that’s the level of environmental impact we’re talking about. This isn’t about global warming, it’s about chemical companies lining their pockets with your money by forcing you to buy their product. A little low on refrigerant? Sorry, but we only use the new stuff now. You’ll need to pay for a $300 retrofit.
R134a should be heavily taxed. 1000% tax.
R744 is the way to go.
We need to save the ozone layer above our earth.
You need to educate yourself more about the subject. r134a doesn’t affect the ozone. That’s why it’s used in place of r12 that is thought to affect the ozone, even though that is debatable. The ozone is created when sunlight hits the oxygen in our atmosphere. As long as there is sunlight and oxygen, there will be ozone regardless of what is used. Now the environmental nutcases say r134a creates global warming. But they say everything man does creates global warming. So, what else is new. It’s all a power and money grab by the elitist liberals. The environmentalist movement has been taken over by communists who wish to cripple our economy from the inside, since the USSR couldn’t do it from the outside. Global warming/Climate change, it’s all a scam on gullible people by these communists and their allies, Obama and the Democrats. There’s no evidence of global warming other than what is said by those who stand to profit by promoting the big lie (like Al Gore). And in the meantime all of us have to constantly pay more for new crap that isn’t necessary. You need to stop worrying about the ozone and wise up to what’s really happening.
The ozone layer saves us from catastrophic UV radiation I think.
It’s a never ending story. Now that 134a is affordable they want to ban for a new more expensive refrigerant. 20 years from the ban date of134A they will be banning whatever the new Freon will be for something else.
I guess people do not pay attention to trends. Your food you buy gets price hikes by trends and they all happen within a few years of that grocery item becoming affordable. We just got through the coffee price hike, and now its the meat price hike. Dairy is just getting started with the eggs. You take away the vaccine to keep chickens healthy and productive and they get sick. Farmer doesn’t care, the good health yuppies asked for it, now they don’t have to pay to vaccinate causing a lack of production due to illness, fewer eggs, price hike, farmer gets payed for less product and expense.
Did anyone notice that when the price of Gas went up due to crude prices a new gas station was build where ever a vacant lot was found. Your convenience stores and grocery store all put in pumps…
R744 is carbon dioxide. It will not be banned. It is probably the best thing for our ozone layer.