EUROPE: The European Commission has declared that the MAC directive will be fully implemented on January 1 despite the safety concerns expressed by Daimler over the car industry's preferred R134a replacement, the refrigerant R1234yf.
The EC has restated that from January 1 the refrigerant R134a will be banned in all new type-approved cars, the manufacturers being required by law to use a refrigerant with a GWP of under 150.
In a declaration last week, the Commission pointed to the detailed risk assessments and standardisation processes, involving all manufacturers, which concluded that the risk of the use of R1234yf was, at worst, no more flammable than other liquids used in vehicles, including gasoline.
The new EC declaration admits that it is closely following the issue and concedes that it has a responsibility to ensure the safety of the products that are on the European market but also has a duty to ensure the respect for the European law.
Given that MAC Directive will be fully enforced as of 1 January 2013, the declaration says the Commission is analysing, with the Member States' authorities, the way forward to ensure compliance of the automotive manufacturers that have type-approved their vehicles for the use of the new gas in the respective territories.