19.01.2012

ACEA refutes unsafe refrigerant claim

The European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) has refuted suggestions that a new refrigerant being used in the Mobile Air Conditioning (MAC) of cars is unsafe.

Green MEP Michele Rivasi has raised the potential dangers of the new refrigerant. Rivasi says the refrigerant HFO-1234yf is flammable and toxic and could endanger the lives of drivers in frontal collisions between vehicles, or even injure firefighters trying to extinguish a car fire .

HFO-1234yf, has been approved for use in the US, Japan and HYPERLINK "http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe"Europe, but it has been claimed that it is much more flammable than the current coolant R134a and when heated above 500C (932F) releases hydrogen fluoride, a highly toxic gas. Temperatures in car fires can easily reach twice that heat.

In response the ACEA says vehicles using HFO-1234yf are as safe as those using the previous refrigerant. This applies to vehicle occupants, vehicle servicing staff and emergency services.

The ACEA says the the auto industry always conducts - as a standard procedure - a risk assessment when introducing new elements into its vehicles.  Such risk assessment has, therefore, been done also in the case of the refrigerant HFO-1234yf   It covered all aspects of vehicle use, including normal road use and vehicle accidents, vehicle aging, servicing activities, and end of life treatment.

Intensive research and analysis by various authoritative parties (SAE US EPA) has also established that the chosen refrigerant is clearly suitable for a safe utilisation in the MAC system. 

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