Background and Resources
On this page:
- What is the Clean Air Act?
- Clean Air Act Enforcement
- MVAC Fact Sheets, FAQ, and Regulatory Requirements
- MVAC Rulemakings
- Additional MVAC Resources
What is the Clean Air Act?
The Clean Air Act (CAA) is the comprehensive federal law that regulates air emissions from stationary and mobile sources. CAA section 609 directs the EPA to establish requirements to prevent the release of refrigerants during the servicing of motor vehicle air conditioners (MVACs) and MVAC-like appliances and to require recycling of used refrigerants. MVAC-like appliances are mechanical vapor compression, open-drive compressor appliances with a full charge of 20 pounds or less of refrigerant used to cool the driver's or passenger's compartment of off-road vehicles or equipment.
Clean Air Act Enforcement
EPA regulations under Title VI of the Clean Air Act (CAA) are designed to protect the ozone layer and to provide for a smooth transition away from ozone-depleting substances (ODS).
EPA is also charged with enforcing these regulations. 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. See a list of fugitives accused of violating environmental laws, including smuggling ODS and evading arrest, for more information.
MVAC Fact Sheets, FAQ, and Regulatory Requirements
Prior to the mid 1990’s, most MVAC systems used CFC-12 (R-12), an ODS which has a global warming potential (GWP) of 10,900. This means that the emission of one CFC-12 molecule is equal to the emission of 10,900 carbon dioxide (CO2) molecules. Since the 1990s, the MVAC sector has transitioned to non-ODS refrigerants with lower GWPs compared to CFC-12, including hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants such as HFC-134a (R-134a), which has a GWP of 1430. However, HFC refrigerants are still strong greenhouse gasses with GWPs hundreds to thousands of times stronger than CO2. More recently, the low GWP hydrofluoroolefin (HFO) refrigerant HFO-1234yf (R-1234yf), which has a GWP of 4, has become the predominant refrigerant used in new U.S light-duty vehicles. For model year 2021, 95% of new light-duty vehicles used HFO-1234yf, according to The 2022 Automotive Trends Report (pdf).
Because of the potential damage that refrigerants can do to the environment, Section 609 of the CAA directs EPA to establish requirements to prevent the release of refrigerants during the servicing of MVACs and MVAC-like appliances and to require recycling of used refrigerants, among other regulatory requirements. Section 608 of the CAA prohibits the venting of ODS refrigerants and most alternatives (including HFCs, HFOs and their blends) while maintaining, servicing, repairing, or disposing of MVACs and MVAC-like equipment. Only CO2 refrigerants are exempt. Currently hydrocarbon refrigerants are not acceptable alternatives for MVACs under the CAA and the Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) Program.
- Section 609 of the Clean Air Act: Motor Vehicle Air Conditioning (pdf) (1.3 MB)
- New Climate-Friendly Motor Vehicle Air Conditioning Refrigerants (pdf) (420.98 KB)
- Frequent Questions About Safety Risks of Using Hydrocarbons (HCs) in Motor Vehicle Air Conditioners (MVACs)
- EPA Regulatory Requirements for MVAC System Servicing
MVAC Rulemakings
The EPA has finalized six rulemakings in the MVAC sector since 1992. The first rule in 1992 established standards and requirements for MVAC servicing. The rule restricts the sale of small containers of ODS. Additionally, it requires technicians to be certified in refrigerant recovery and recycling and use certified equipment when using refrigerant. Rulemakings in 1995, 1997, 2007, 2008, and 2021 addressed the EPA adoption of new SAE International (SAE) standards. The 1997 rulemakings communicated the EPA’s adoption of SAE standards for the use of non-CFC-12 refrigerants. Rulemakings in 2007 and 2008 address the adoption of SAE standards relating to HFC-134a, while the EPA’s most recent MVAC rulemaking in 2021 communicates the adoption of three SAE standards (SAE J2843, SAE J2851, and SAE J3030) relating to HFO-1234yf.
- History of EPA MVAC Rulemakings
- EPA publishes rule to incorporate three existing SAE standards for R-1234yf MVAC servicing