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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

FBI warns of refrigerant substitute dangers

Pamela Sampson Associated Press

ATLANTA – As the U.S. tries to phase out a polluting refrigerant used in millions of air conditioners across the country, unapproved coolant is popping up on the market – with potentially dangerous consequences.

The FBI is warning people to be on alert for refrigerant substitutes not been approved by the Environmental Protection Agency. Some contain propane, which is flammable and can explode or ignite if, for example, a technician servicing an air conditioner gets too close to the coolant while soldering. So far, explosions have been rare.

The problem has cropped up as the U.S. phases out R-22, a chemical used for decades as a refrigerant in air conditioners and refrigerators. Because R-22 destroys the ozone layer, it is being banned globally under an international treaty. The EPA is guiding the switch to ozone-friendlier refrigerants and lists approved ones on its website.

The phaseout caused prices of R-22 to skyrocket, increasing the demand for cheaper, unapproved replacements, many of which are made in China and sold on the black market. Products like “Super Freeze 22a” have been selling mostly online or over the telephone to homeowners and “do-it-yourselfers,” circumventing stores and regulators, the FBI said. The FBI has launched an investigation into the sale of unapproved refrigerants but declined to answer questions from the Associated Press.

It is unclear how many may have fallen victim to a refrigerant scam. Reports of fires or explosions seem rare. The EPA, without citing specific examples, said it knows of cases in the U.S. and abroad in which people were injured after using unapproved refrigerants in air conditioners. The agency also took action against at least one U.S. company in 2013 for selling an unapproved refrigerant that had the potential to explode.