Penalties totalling over $115,000 for illegal HFC imports
6th September 2024
USA: The US Environmental protection Agency has recently completed settlements totalling over $115,000 against five companies who allegedly imported HFCs without allowances in violation of the US AIM Act.
The latest settlements brings the number of civil settlements to resolve claims of unlawful imports of HFCs to nine since October 1.
The AIM Act was passed by the US Congress to implement the US commitments to HFC phase down under the Kigali Amendment that the US officially ratified in October 2022.
In the latest cases, Clean Venture Inc, an environmental services company from Avenel, New Jersey, was presented with a civil penalty of $11,663 for importing 2,041.2kg of R134a, 22.7kg of R407C and 3.6 kg of R404A;
HVAC Services of Mission, Texas, agreed a penalty of $77,679 for shipments from Mexico of R404A, R410A, and R407C, totalling 10,920kg;
Liferafts Incorporated of Puerto Rico, a supplier of marine products and services, allegedly imported 519kg of R134a, 939kg of R404A, 471kg of R407C and 408kg of R407F without the necessary allowances. It agreed a penalty of $18,517;
Parker Engineering and Mechanical Inc of Norcross, Georgia, agreed a penalty of $6,835 for the import of 600 cylinders of R410A totalling 6,780kg;
At the bottom of the scale, Little Leaf Farms, a food producer from McAdoo, Pennsylvania, agreed a penalty of $857 for importing 742kg of R449A without the required allowance.
“After another summer of record-breaking heat, the urgency of the climate crisis continues to accelerate. The Biden-Harris administration is committed to meeting our goals to phasedown HFCs, which contribute dramatically to near-term climate change, so that our children and grandchildren can have a sustainable future,” said David M Uhlmann, assistant administrator at the EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance.
“EPA and its law enforcement partners will police our borders and ports to halt HFC smuggling to protect our nation from the harmful effects of climate super pollutants,” he added.
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